NATO fighter jets were scrambled to intercept a British Airways passenger plane after it failed to respond to air traffic control for around 30 minutes, triggering security fears and an investigation into whether the pilots had fallen asleep.
German Eurofighter Typhoons were dispatched after Flight BA899, travelling from Cyprus to London, went silent on both its primary and back-up radio frequencies.
The loss of contact raised concerns over a possible hijacking or other security incident, prompting military aircraft to approach the passenger jet and inspect its cockpit.
Authorities are now investigating whether the captain and first officer had dozed off, according to a report in The Sun. The pilots are said to have been “pretty embarrassed” when communication was eventually restored.
A source familiar with the incident told the newspaper that the British Airways crew and a fighter jet pilot could be heard on the emergency frequency.
The pilots reportedly asked the military aircraft to remain behind the passenger plane to avoid alarming those on board. But the fighter jets were required to inspect the cockpit and therefore flew alongside the aircraft.
The inspection found no evidence of terrorism, the source said. The Typhoons continued accompanying the flight until it reached the German border.
British Airways confirmed that it was investigating the incident, although both pilots remain in service with the airline.
“All of the procedures for situations like this were followed,” the company told The Sun.
The incident comes amid heightened attention to aviation security following a suspected hijacking attempt aboard a Flydubai flight in recent weeks and a separate bomb threat that forced a Tel Aviv-to-Vienna flight to make an emergency landing.
A prolonged loss of communication, known in aviation as PLOC, is treated seriously because controllers cannot establish whether an aircraft is experiencing a technical failure, a medical emergency or a security threat.
Although radio silence does not itself indicate a hijacking, military interception can be required while authorities establish what is happening.
The investigation will now seek to establish why the BA crew failed to respond for so long, and whether cockpit procedures were followed throughout the flight.
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