Wizz Air flight from Luton in emergency landing after bomb threat
A Hungarian fighter jet escorted the aircraft to Budapest after the threat was received mid-air.
A Wizz Air flight from London Luton Airport to Sofia was escorted to Budapest by a Hungarian fighter jet after a bomb threat was made mid-flight.
The aircraft was compelled to make an emergency landing at Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport. A Wizz Air spokesperson said authorities there "carried out the necessary security checks on the aircraft and passengers".
The airline later said the inspection had been "completed and nothing was found", and added that the plane would depart again shortly. Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendis confirmed that his country had supplied the fighter jet to escort the flight.
Flight tracking website FlightAware said Wizz Air flight 4302 left Luton at 08:33 GMT and was scheduled to reach the Bulgarian capital at 13:25 local time (11:25 GMT).
However, the site reported that it landed in Budapest at 12:09 local time (11:09 GMT).
In a social media post, Ruszin-Szendis said that after the bomb threat was received, the Wizz Air flight asked for permission to land at Budapest airport.
"Within minutes, a Hungarian Defence Forces Gripen fighter jet took to the skies and provided an escort for the passenger aircraft", he said.
He added that the jet then returned to base and police took over the incident.
The airline said that after the emergency landing, the plane taxied "to a designated stand" where the security checks were conducted.
Wizz Air also said it was "cooperating fully with the authorities", and that the safety of passengers and crew "remains our highest priority".