Hungarian air force jets scrambled after a stolen Cessna 172 was detected heading toward the Paks nuclear power plant on 29 August, triggering a rapid military response over central Hungary. The aircraft was intercepted by two JAS 39 Gripens and later made a forced landing near Gerjen in Tolna County. No injuries were reported, while police and rescue crews secured the site and began investigating the incident.
The light aircraft reportedly departed from Kalocsa airfield before turning toward the nuclear facility, which sits under special airspace protection. Military radar identified the aircraft as a potential threat, prompting the intercept before it reached the plant. The Gripens remained overhead until emergency responders arrived, while the aircraft came down damaged, with its landing gear broken and the fuselage tilted onto one wing.
A 24-year-old suspect is being investigated in connection with the theft and flight. Early local coverage indicated the pilot may have been in a disturbed or confused state, but the motive remains unclear. The case has drawn attention to airspace protection around critical infrastructure and the readiness of Hungary’s NATO-standard air-policing capability.