Intoxicated pilot hijacks Cessna, flies near Hungary's Paks nuclear plant before crash-landing
A 24-year-old pilot, allegedly drunk, stole a Cessna 172, entered the restricted airspace around Hungary’s sole nuclear power station and was forced to land in a nearby sunflower field, where he was arrested.
According to the defence minister, Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi, a Cessna 172 was spotted on military radar after it entered the prohibited zone near Hungary’s only nuclear power plant in Paks, violating the rule that civilian aircraft stay at least two miles away below 20,000 feet. Two Gripen jets were scrambled to the area, but the aircraft made an emergency landing in a sunflower field roughly four miles from the plant, sustaining severe damage while the pilot emerged uninjured.
Police reported the 24-year-old pilot, believed to be intoxicated, tried to escape on a nearby road, attempted to seize a passing car, and was stopped and taken into custody. Initial tests confirmed alcohol consumption, with further analysis pending for other substances. Authorities suspect the plane was taken without permission from Kalocsa Airport and are investigating the motive and security lapses. The nuclear facility, responsible for about 50 % of Hungary’s power, remained unharmed.
Why it matters
The incident highlights vulnerabilities in airspace security around critical nuclear infrastructure.
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