️ German authorities briefly suspended operations at Nuremberg airport and scrambled military fighter jets on Tuesday following an emergency alert that supposedly indicated an ongoing hijacking on board a commercial airliner. However, officials later confirmed that the panic was triggered entirely by an accidental radio malfunction.

️ According to Corendon Airlines, their Boeing 737-800 operating a flight from the Greek holiday island of Corfu to Nuremberg transmitted an emergency squawk code while flying over Croatia due to what was described as a brief technical glitch in the radio communication system. The airline insisted that no emergency actually occurred and that the 178 passengers and crew members were never in danger.

️ The situation escalated rapidly because air traffic controllers were reportedly unable to establish radio contact with the cockpit crew after the transponder broadcasted code 7500, the international signal for unlawful interference. The inability to verify the situation prompted European aviation authorities to activate heightened security protocols.

️ In response to the unverified threat, a Rafale fighter jet was scrambled in Croatia, while the German military also dispatched warplanes to intercept and escort the passenger aircraft. Police cordoned off Albrecht Dürer Airport in Nuremberg as a precaution, causing disruptions that delayed multiple flights and diverted incoming traffic.

️ The high-security scare unfolded against a backdrop of mounting tension and heightened anxiety across European airspace regarding alleged hybrid warfare threats and security incidents. While accidental code transmissions and radio failures have occasionally triggered similar security responses in the past, current European vigilance remains exceptionally high.

Source: www.aljazeera.com