Cathay Pacific pilots selected wrong radio frequency before NATO jets intercepted flight, investigation finds
The London-bound Cathay Pacific flight lost contact with air traffic control over Romanian airspace on Jul 4, which triggered the scrambling of two Hungarian fighter jets.
Cathay Pacific CX257 flight from Hong Kong to London experienced a loss of communication with air traffic control over Romanian airspace, triggering the deployment of two Hungarian NATO fighter jets on July 4, according to an official investigation. The incident occurred when the flight crew mistakenly tuned to the wrong radio frequency, failing to realize the loss of communication.
The Civil Aviation Department (CAD) in Hong Kong reported that the aircraft's communication equipment operated normally throughout the event. Following the incident, Cathay Pacific implemented various improvement measures, including enhancing operational procedures, providing additional training, and monitoring the effectiveness of the measures.
The airline emphasized the importance of maintaining good communication between flight crews and air traffic controllers to ensure aviation safety.
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