Fighter jets took off toward a passenger plane bound for Israel on Tuesday after the aircraft reportedly issued a hijacking alert before the warning was revoked, causing the flight to turn back.
According to Ynetnews, the Electra Airways plane, which was flying for LOT Polish Airlines, was flying from Warsaw to Israel when it made a U-turn in the air after circling near Cyprus. According to reports, the pilot pressed a button in the cockpit that signals a hijacking.
The aircraft, an Airbus A320, issued the warning while flying over Turkish airspace. Later he flew over Cyprus, circled the area and turned back after not being given permission to land in Cyprus.
Senior aviation officials described the incident as highly unusual and dangerous and said an immediate investigation would be launched. Some officials said investigators are looking into whether the pilot may have accidentally pressed the danger button before withdrawing the warning.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that two Israeli Air Force fighter jets took off towards a civilian aircraft over the Mediterranean Sea, following a report of loss of contact with the plane.
"The incident ended and contact with the aircraft was restored," the IDF said. "There is no concern about a security incident."
