Two Israeli Air Force fighter jets were scrambled Tuesday afternoon toward a civilian passenger aircraft flying from Warsaw to Ben Gurion Airport after the aircraft's systems activated a security emergency code.
The aircraft, LOT Polish Airlines Flight 155, operated by Bulgaria's Electra Airways, was flying over the Mediterranean Sea when authorities received a report that contact with the aircraft had been lost. Fighter jets were subsequently dispatched to escort the plane and assess the situation.
A short time later, communication with the flight crew was restored, and the pilots reported that the incident had resulted from a technical malfunction rather than a security event.
According to reports, the aircraft did not continue its flight to Israel following the incident and instead turned back. It is expected to land in Bulgaria. The circumstances that led to the activation of the emergency code have not yet been disclosed.
The IDF said in a statement: "Two Israeli Air Force fighter jets were scrambled a short time ago toward a civilian aircraft over the Mediterranean Sea following a report that contact with the aircraft had been lost. The incident has concluded, communication with the aircraft has been restored, and there is no concern of a security-related event."