In Hungary, a 24-year-old man under the influence of alcohol stole a light aircraft and set course for the Paks nuclear power plant. The military scrambled two fighter jets to intercept the aircraft, according to infohub.kz.
The incident occurred on the morning of August 29. The man took off without permission in a plane parked at the airfield in Kalocsa and headed toward the city of Paks, where Hungary's only nuclear power plant is located.
Military radars immediately detected the aircraft. After that, a pair of Gripen fighter jets on duty were scrambled, Hungary's defense minister said.
The airspace within a three-kilometer radius of the Paks nuclear plant is closed to civilian aviation up to an altitude of 6,000 meters. According to Hungarian media, the stolen plane performed dangerous maneuvers in the area of the plant.
A few minutes later, it made an emergency landing in a sunflower field near the settlement of Gerjen. The man abandoned the damaged plane and walked to a highway.
As Hungarian police reported, a motorist stopped to help the man. He got into the car and tried to drive away, but a passenger inside prevented him from doing so.
Police detained the suspect a few minutes later. A check confirmed that the man was under the influence of alcohol. Law enforcement is also investigating whether he may have used other substances.
A case has been opened against the detainee on charges of unlawful taking of a vehicle and other alleged crimes. Police intend to request his arrest.
Following the incident, police, together with aviation authorities, began an inspection of the airfield in Kalocsa. Similar inspections are planned at other airports in Hungary.