Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Will Maule

Mystery plane went through airspace of six NATO countries before pilot vanished

Several fighter jets were scrambled after an unidentified plane flew through the airspace of six NATO nations, reports suggest.

The mysterious aircraft was spotted by the Hungarian and Romanian Air Force and flew through Poland, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Lithuania, the Daily Star reported.

Two USAF F-16s, two Romanian F-16s and two Hungarian Gripens were sent to intercept the plane after it failed to respond to radio communications.

The plane eventually landed in Debrecen, Hungary to refuel. It took off again and was later found in a small local airfield in Bulgaria known as the Targovishte Airport.

When the authorities finally reached the plane, the pilot was nowhere to be seen and the aircraft appeared to have been abandoned. The plane's engine was reportedly still warm when officers first arrived on the scene, with the occupants likely making a narrow escape.

Forensic officers were pictured inspecting the plane as part of their investigation.

The rogue plane is inspected by forensic officers (airlive.net)

Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Sign up for a Mirror newsletter here

Prosecutors in the Bulgarian city of Targovishte have launched an investigation into what happened, according to media outlet Euractiv

Bulgarian Ministry of Defence official Dragomir Zakov insisted that the rogue aircraft at had not been a threat to civillians.

“At no time was the plane a threat to civilian or military infrastructure in Bulgaria," he said.

“It flew at low altitudes, which made difficult the interception for fighter jets, but it was monitored all the time.

“The Ministry of Defense is taking the appropriate actions to establish the circumstances.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.