Passenger Plane Sends 'Hijacking Code,' Scrambling Fighter Jets... Turns Out to Be a Radio Communication Error

Emergency code transmitted over Croatian airspace
"Unable to reach the cockpit, so we had to assume the worst-case scenario"

A passenger plane flying over Europe mistakenly transmitted a hijacking alert to air traffic control, prompting several fighter jets to scramble and an airport to temporarily close.

According to the Associated Press and other news outlets on Tuesday, October 13, a Boeing 737-800 operated by Turkish airline Corendon Airlines, flying from Corfu, Greece, to Nuremberg, Germany, transmitted the hijacking emergency code "7500" while over Croatia that morning. The plane was carrying 178 passengers and crew members.

Photo unrelated to a specific expression in the article. Pixabay

Authorities responded after receiving the emergency code, which indicated a possible hijacking. The German Air Force scrambled fighter jets to escort the plane, while German authorities temporarily closed Nuremberg Airport, where it was scheduled to land.

However, the airline said the emergency code was transmitted because of a temporary error in its communication system. "There was no actual emergency," it said, adding that the passengers, crew and aircraft were never in danger. Police reportedly boarded the plane to check whether a crime, such as an actual hijacking, had taken place even after it landed safely.

Police spokesman Michael Pecholt said, "A hijacking signal was transmitted directly from the aircraft's cockpit. After that, we were unable to contact the cockpit, and communication between the cockpit and air traffic control was also cut off, leaving us no choice but to assume the worst-case scenario: an actual hostage situation." The response delayed six flights, while two inbound flights were diverted to other airports.

Meanwhile, aviation safety concerns have heightened recently in Europe amid a series of drone sightings whose origins remain unclear. As Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, Western countries have also expressed concerns about possible Russian operations. Last month, the German government accused Russia of attempting an attack in August using a drone carrying explosives at Leipzig/Halle Airport and announced several measures, including the closure of the Russian consulate.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.