Hungarian fighter jets scrambled after Arkia jet briefly lost contact with air traffic control

A rare incident unfolded over Hungary on Friday when an Arkia Airbus flying from Tel Aviv to Prague temporarily lost contact with local air traffic control. The communication loss triggered NATO emergency procedures, and Hungary scrambled two JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets to locate the plane and confirm its status.

The fighters approached the Israeli aircraft, established visual contact, and escorted it until communication with the flight crew was restored. Reports indicated the problem was likely a temporary communications disruption or a frequency fluctuation, rather than any security-related event. After contact resumed, the aircraft continued on its planned route and left Hungarian airspace toward Austria without further incident.

Officials said NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre coordinated the response and that air-policing mechanisms operated according to procedure. Hungarian authorities are still examining how the contact was lost and have not announced final conclusions.

Arkia said the crew followed the approved flight plan and designated routes. The airline said that, to its understanding, Hungarian authorities decided to dispatch a military aircraft after contact was severed, which helped restore communication. Arkia added that the plane landed safely at its destination and that at no stage was there any danger to the passengers or crew. The company said it is conducting its own internal review and will also examine the incident with Hungarian authorities.