NATO jets intercept Cathay Pacific flight after contact loss over Romania

A London-bound Cathay Pacific Airways flight triggered a NATO quick reaction alert after temporarily losing contact with Romanian air traffic control while flying over Romanian airspace, prompting Hungarian fighter jets to intercept the aircraft.

The incident occurred on Saturday, July 4, during the flight from Hong Kong to London Heathrow Airport. According to NATO procedures, the loss of communication led to the activation of a “quick reaction alert,” which resulted in the deployment of interceptor aircraft to ensure airspace security, according to an SCMP report.

Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi said the alert was issued at 1:42 p.m. Central European Time.

“An alert was ordered for a NATO quick reaction alert (interceptor) standby pair of aircraft, because a Chinese-registered A350 type aircraft travelling on the Hong Kong – London route, while located in Romanian airspace, failed to establish contact with Romanian civilian air traffic control,” he wrote on social media.

“The Hungarian readiness aircraft took off at 1.51 pm and visually warned the Chinese-registered aircraft near the Hungarian border, after which it established contact with air traffic control.

“Following the completion of the mission, the standby Gripen pair of aircraft returned to its base in Kecskemet.”

Cathay Pacific said on Wednesday that the incident remains under investigation, adding that at no point was the safety of the aircraft or those on board compromised.

According to flight tracking data from Flightradar24, the Airbus A350-1000, registered as B-LXA, completed its journey without further incident, landing safely at London Heathrow Airport at 3:20 p.m. GMT on July 4 after a flight lasting 13 hours and 40 minutes.

NATO’s quick reaction alert system allows member states to rapidly deploy armed aircraft to intercept unidentified or unresponsive planes in order to safeguard sovereign airspace. The alliance, formed in 1949, comprises 32 countries across North America and Europe and is focused on collective defence and security cooperation.

By Tamilla Hasanova