A technical malfunction triggered a false hijacking alert aboard a Tel Aviv-bound passenger jet on Tuesday, prompting Turkish, Bulgarian and Israeli authorities to scramble fighter jets before officials confirmed there was no security threat.
The Airbus A320, operated by Bulgaria-based Electra Airways on behalf of Poland's LOT Polish Airlines, was flying from Warsaw to Tel Aviv when it transmitted transponder code 7500 while in Bulgarian airspace. The code is the internationally recognized emergency signal for unlawful interference or aircraft hijacking.
According to Türkiye's Transport and Infrastructure Ministry, the aircraft entered Turkish airspace after transmitting the emergency code. Although the flight crew informed air traffic controllers that there was no abnormal situation on board, Turkish authorities implemented all precautionary measures required under international aviation procedures.
Two Turkish F-16 fighter jets escorted the aircraft from the moment it entered Turkish airspace until it exited, the ministry said.
Following coordination between Turkish and Bulgarian authorities, Bulgaria granted the aircraft permission to land at Burgas Airport. The plane briefly re-entered Turkish airspace en route to the Bulgarian Black Sea city, where it continued to be escorted by Turkish fighter jets before landing safely at 5:12 p.m. local time.
Türkiye's ministry said LOT Polish Airlines initially informed authorities that the emergency signal had resulted from pilot error and stressed there had been no actual hijacking.
Bulgaria's Transport Ministry later said the incident was caused by a technical malfunction affecting the aircraft's transponder, which erroneously transmitted the hijacking signal.
"The reason for the diversion is a technical failure of the aircraft's transponder, which transmitted a false signal of unlawful interference or hijacking," the ministry said in a statement, adding that the aircraft departed Bulgarian airspace after authorities confirmed there was no threat on board before later returning to Burgas at the operator's request.
Bulgarian authorities said the aircraft was intercepted and escorted by Bulgarian Air Force fighter jets before landing safely.
Israel's military also confirmed that it had scrambled two fighter aircraft after receiving reports of a civilian plane experiencing a loss of communications over the eastern Mediterranean.
LOT Polish Airlines said the flight crew had initially reported an emergency, but the alert was cancelled during subsequent communications with air traffic control.
The airline said the flight, operated by Electra Airways on its behalf, was ultimately diverted to Burgas because of crew duty time limitations.
Authorities in Türkiye and Bulgaria said they continue to coordinate on the incident, while emphasizing that the emergency stemmed from a false transponder signal and that no hijacking occurred.