Malta-Registered Boeing 737 Triggers Fighter Jet Escort After False Hijack Alert
In brief
- A Malta-registered Corendon Airlines Boeing 737 accidentally transmitted a hijack alert over Croatia.
- Military authorities deployed Eurofighter jets to intercept and accompany the aircraft after the signal was received.
- The flight landed safely in Germany, though the emergency protocol caused a temporary closure of Nuremberg airport.
A commercial airliner registered in Malta prompted an international military response after a technical fault caused it to send out an emergency hijack signal while in flight.
The Boeing 737, operating under Corendon Airlines with the Maltese registration 9H-CXD, was flying from the Greek island of Corfu towards Nuremberg, Germany, when the incident occurred.
While cruising through Croatian airspace, a transponder malfunction led the aircraft to transmit a specialised distress code designated for unlawful interference or hijackings, immediately alerting civil aviation authorities and regional defence commands.
In response to the alert, military officials scrambled Eurofighter combat aircraft to intercept the airliner and establish visual confirmation as it proceeded along its flight corridor.
On the ground, German aviation authorities enacted strict security protocols, which included a temporary suspension of flights and the brief closure of Nuremberg airport to clear air traffic for the approaching aircraft.
The plane touched down without incident in Nuremberg, where officials confirmed that the signal had been triggered by an equipment failure rather than a genuine security threat.
The Spin Room
Low media divide. Both outlets reported the incident factually, with Times of Malta providing additional technical details on the false transponder signal and the temporary airport closure.