A 24-year-old man is facing serious charges after allegedly stealing a small aircraft in Hungary. He flew the plane into a restricted zone adjacent to the country’s sole nuclear power plant. The incident ended when the aircraft crash-landed in a nearby sunflower field. Authorities report that the man was intoxicated during the flight.
As soon as the military received the information, it scrambled two Gripen fighter jets to intercept the aircraft. The jets located the Cessna and stayed in the area as emergency teams were sent to the crash site. Minutes later, the aircraft made an emergency landing in a sunflower field around four miles from the nuclear plant. The plane was badly damaged, but the pilot escaped without injuries. He was reportedly in a distressed state and then tried to take control of the driver’s car and drive away. Officers arrested the man and took him in for questioning. Initial tests indicated that he was intoxicated. More tests are being done to check if he had taken any other drugs or substances. Investigators believe the man took the aircraft from the nearby Kalocsa Airport without permission. Police are now examining why he took the plane and how he was able to access it. Authorities also plan to conduct checks at other airports across Hungary. The Paks nuclear facility was not damaged in the incident. The plant is a key part of Hungary’s power system and generates about half of the country’s electricity.
Police said the man allegedly walked away from the site and was later spotted on a nearby road by a passing driver. Police said he was stopped before he could leave.
