MApN: Small aircraft flies over Romanian airspace; no hostile or dangerous behavior shown

A small twin-engined Beechcraft aircraft, carrying two people, flew over at low altitude the airspace of Hungary, Romania, Serbia and Bulgaria on Wednesday evening, informs the Ministry of National Defense (MApN), Agerpres reports.

"We specify that the aircraft in question, which flew in the Romanian airspace on the Oradea - Caransebes - Drobeta Turnu Severin route, did not show a hostile or dangerous behavior. At no time did the pilot of the aircraft respond to radio interrogations or visual signals transmitted by the intercepting military aircraft, according to international regulations," the cited source shows.

According to the data available at the moment, the aircraft took off from Hungary, in the Debretin area, around 17:30, without having an approved flight plan and without the electronic transponder identification means on.

The aircraft was intercepted in Hungarian airspace by two Hungarian JAS 39 Gripen military aircraft at 17:38. The aircraft did not respond to radio interrogations or visual signals from the military aircraft.

At around 17:49, the aircraft entered the Romanian airspace, in the Oradea area, being accompanied by the two Hungarian military aircraft, based on the cross-border agreement between Romania and Hungary.

At 17:58, the Hungarian aircraft returned to base, the target being taken over by two US Air Force F-16 aircraft deployed at the RoAF 86th Air Base Fetesti, that were on a patrol mission in Romanian airspace.

"The mission of the two US aircraft was similar, of radio interrogation, visual identification and escorting of the target aircraft," the ministry said.

At 18:36, the US aircraft requested the return approval to the 86th Air Base, the air policing mission being taken over by two F-16 aircraft of the Romanian Air Force, taking off from the same air base.

"The Romanian military aircraft intercepted the target aircraft at 18:42 and continued the interrogation and escort mission. The target aircraft, which continued not to respond to radio calls and visual signals, crossed at around 19:00 for about two minutes the Serbian airspace in an area between Drobeta Turnu Severin and Korbovo,", mentions the Ministry of National Defense.

At around 19:09, the target aircraft crossed into the Bulgarian airspace.

The two Romanian F-16 aircraft completed the air policing mission and landed at Fetesti at around 19:46.

The Bulgarian authorities are currently investigating the area of the target's last known position on the ground, in order to identify the aircraft and establish the details, the Ministry of National Defense representatives further show.