Bomb Threat Forces London-Sofia Flight to Divert to Hungary

A Wizz Air flight travelling from London to Sofia, Bulgaria, was diverted to Hungary on Monday following a bomb threat received while the aircraft was in the air.

The Airbus A321neo departed London Luton Airport at 8:33 a.m. and was scheduled to arrive at Sofia International Airport at about 1:25 p.m. local time before the reported threat forced a change of route.

Hungary's Defence Minister, Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi, said a Hungarian Gripen fighter jet was deployed within minutes to escort the aircraft to Budapest.

The plane landed safely at Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport at 12:08 p.m., according to reports.

Wizz Air Confirms Incident

Wizz Air confirmed the diversion in a statement, saying the bomb threat was received during the flight.

The airline said the aircraft landed safely in line with security procedures before being moved to a designated stand for checks by the relevant authorities.

It added that it was cooperating fully with authorities and that the safety of passengers and crew remained its highest priority.

Hungarian police also carried out additional security measures following the aircraft's arrival, while authorities began inspecting the plane and checking passengers.

Details of Threat Remain Unclear

As of Monday afternoon, authorities had not disclosed who was responsible for the threat or whether any suspicious objects had been found on the aircraft.

It was also unclear whether the threat was communicated from inside the aircraft or from the ground, and whether passengers and crew had been allowed to disembark.

Flight-tracking data showed that the aircraft's planned route to Sofia was changed as it travelled towards Hungary over Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Security checks were ongoing at Budapest airport as authorities continued investigating the incident.

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