Update: Bulgarian Transport Minister Grozdan Karadjov confirmed that a Ryanair flight from Sofia to London was escorted by German fighter jets after a 112 emergency alert from a Bulgarian citizen claimed a Palestinian passenger intended to commit harmful acts. The alert, originating from a Plovdiv resident whose ex-wife and two daughters were on the plane, prompted immediate coordination with Serbian and German authorities. Checks confirmed no threat existed, and the flight continued to London under escort, while additional security measures were implemented at Sofia’s airport to ensure passenger safety.

Pre-update information: On August 11, a Ryanair flight from Sofia to London Stansted faced an unusual and tense situation over Central Europe. The Boeing 737-800, carrying 174 passengers, was denied entry into Czech airspace while flying over Austria. The aircraft, registration SP-RNH, was forced to adjust its course, turning left to remain in Austrian skies to bypass the Czech Republic, according to reports from The Aviation Herald.

Incident: Buzz B738 over Germany on Aug 11th 2025, accompanied by Eurofighters #B738 #SPRNH #FR9962 https://t.co/Ba6patfGkJ

— Aviation Herald (@avherald) August 12, 2025

As the plane continued westward over Germany, two Eurofighter jets joined it to provide an escort, ensuring the flight’s safe passage until it entered the Netherlands. Despite the dramatic intervention, the fighter jets reportedly detected nothing unusual during the escort. The flight then continued to London, landing safely at Stansted Airport around two hours later.

Sources indicate that Czech authorities had been alerted to a possible threat to the flight, which prompted the denial of entry and the precautionary military escort. After landing, the aircraft remained overnight at Stansted and resumed its regular schedule the following morning.