Mystery aircraft from Lithuania triggers international security alert – crew still missing

A mystery aircraft has been discovered with its crew missing after the plane invaded multiple airspaces illegally, creating an international security alert.

The two passenger aircraft illegally entered the airspace of several countries and the purpose of its flight and the whereabouts of its crew are still a mystery. The plane took off from Lithuania on Wednesday and illegally entered the airspace of Hungary, Serbia and Romania before eventually being found in Bulgaria. There was no approved flight plan for the aircraft and its transponders to communicate its position in the air had also been turned off, reports Express.

It has been reported the pilot did not respond to radio requests and visual signals, the Romanian Defence Ministry added.

In addition to this, two Hungarian fighter jets, two US F-16 fighter jets, and two Romanian F-16 fighter jets intercepted the aircraft and escorted it until it entered Bulgarian airspace.

The Bulgarian Air Force did not immediately scramble the fighter jets.

This is because the mystery flight “was not considered a threat at any time”.

When officials went to inspect the aircraft, the crew members were missing.

It has been reported that their whereabouts are still unknown.

Lithuanian officials state they do not know where the plane took off from on Wednesday.

The aircraft’s registration number was LY-LOO.

This registration number is held by the 1962 PA-23-250 Aztec aircraft of the aircraft manufacturer Piper but is no longer valid.

Lithuanian news outlet LRT asked a representative of air navigation service provider Oro Navigacija about the incident.

The representative stated: “We have not received the flight plans of the aircraft.

“The crew of this aircraft has not established communication with the operators of Oro Navigacija.”