Man steals plane in Hungary, heads toward nuclear plant

A 24-year-old man in Hungary stole a Cessna 172 aircraft from a runway in Kalocsa and flew it toward the Paks Nuclear Power Plant, prompting military interceptors to be launched; he made an emergency landing in a sunflower field and was later arrested after attempting to steal a car.

Consensus

A 24-year-old man stole a Cessna 172 from an airfield in Kalocsa, Hungary.
The man flew the aircraft toward the Paks Nuclear Power Plant.
Military radar detected the unauthorized flight.
Two fighter jets (Gripen JAS 39) were launched to intercept the aircraft.
The aircraft made an emergency landing in a sunflower field.
The pilot was not injured during the landing.
The man was arrested after attempting to steal a car.
The man was reportedly drunk at the time of the incident.
The flight occurred in a restricted airspace around the nuclear power plant.
No casualties were reported.

Points of divergence

The aircraft crashed after being intercepted. — tg_tass_agency
The aircraft was not immediately intercepted due to restricted airspace rules, and the pilot performed dangerous maneuvers before the intercept. — fontanka
The pilot was charged with theft of transport and other crimes. — vedomosti
The man attempted to steal a car after landing. — tg_astrapress
The man was described as 'nocturnal' and 'drunk', and the incident involved a plane that had previously experienced decompression. — riamo

Coverage (8 sources)

Drunk man hijacked plane in Hungary — РИАМО
In Hungary, man hijacks plane and directs it at power plant — it had to be intercepted by fighters — ASTRA
In Hungary, a man hijacked a Cessna-172 aircraft and directed it towards the Paksh nuclear power plant. This was reported by H... on August 29. — ТАСС (Telegram)
Hungarian fighters raised alert over drunk man flying toward power plant — РИАМО
In Hungary, a man stole a plane and directed it toward the Paksh nuclear power plant — Вести
Young Hungarian resident hijacked a plane and circled over the nuclear power plant — Фонтанка
Soberless pilot directed stolen aircraft towards Paks nuclear power plant in Hungary — Ведомости
Hungary: Drunk pilot hijacks plane and heads toward nuclear power plant — military launches two fighters to intercept him — Baza

Man steals plane in Hungary, heads toward nuclear plant

Consensus

Points of divergence

Coverage (8 sources)

Key entities

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