Germany scrambles jets after airline radio glitch sends false hijack alert

A Corendon Airlines Boeing 737-800 flight from Corfu to Nuremberg landed safely on Tuesday, despite an emergency hijack alert issued from the cockpit. The alert was caused by a brief malfunction in the radio communication system, according to the airline. Corendon Airlines emphasized that no emergency situation occurred and that passengers, flight crew, and the aircraft were never in danger.

The incident led to a suspension of operations at Nuremberg Airport, but flight operations resumed normally afterward. The airline noted that the emergency code 7500 (hijacking case) was transmitted, and the pilot could no longer be reached by radio. This event occurred less than a month after a similar incident involving a co-pilot who attacked another pilot with an emergency crash axe while a jet was en route to Israel from Dubai.

The United Arab Emirates prosecutor general called this incident a terrorist attack. The airline stated that the emergency code was transmitted while the plane was in Croatian airspace due to the radio communication issue. Following the alert, the situation was monitored, and necessary preparations were made. The aircraft landed safely at Nuremberg Airport.

Additionally, a possible drone sighting had disrupted air traffic at the airport overnight, and German authorities had been on heightened alert since a failed drone attack at a German airport in August, blamed on Russia, though Russia denied involvement.