Bulgarian MiG-29 Escorted Warsaw-Tel Aviv Flight After Hijacking Alert

A Bulgarian Air Force MiG-29 scrambled on 30 June after an Airbus A320 passenger flight from Warsaw to Tel Aviv transmitted transponder code 7500, an international signal associated with unlawful interference. The alert triggered NATO and national Air Policing procedures, the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense said. The aircraft, operated by Electra Airways on behalf of LOT, entered Bulgarian airspace at 1:57 p.m. after crossing the Danube, and a MiG-29 from Graf Ignatievo took off on quick reaction alert three minutes earlier. The fighter escorted the Airbus across Bulgarian airspace and established contact, then handed over to two Turkish F-16s after the aircraft entered Turkey at 2:14 p.m. The aircraft later requested to return to Bulgaria and was intercepted again, landing unexpectedly at Burgas around 5:15 p.m. Investigators concluded the 7500 code was caused by a transponder malfunction rather than a hijacking attempt. After inspection and confirmation of no threat, it departed Burgas shortly after 11:00 p.m. and arrived in Tel Aviv after 1:00 a.m.