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Nuremberg airport suspended operations after a flight from Corfu sent a hijacking code. The incident was caused by a radio malfunction, and the aircraft landed safely.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
Authorities in Germany briefly shut Nuremberg airport and scrambled fighter jets to escort a passenger plane on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. The emergency response was triggered by an emergency call that raised fears of a possible hijacking, but officials later confirmed the incident was caused by a radio problem.
The aircraft involved was a Boeing 737-800 operated by Corendon Airlines, flying from Corfu, Greece, to Nuremberg, Germany. According to the airline, the plane sent out an emergency code late in the morning while over Croatia "due to a brief malfunction in the radio communication system."
Police spokesman Michael Petzold explained that authorities had "received a code directly from the cockpit that suggested a hijacking." He stated, "Since we were then unable to reach the cockpit, and the tower was also unable to contact the cockpit, we had to assume the worst, that it might indeed be a hijacking."
As a precaution before the reason for the incident was known, police cordoned off the Nuremberg airport grounds. The Times of Israel reported that police said on X, "We received a report of an unclear air emergency," adding that the aircraft had landed safely in Nuremberg. "Investigations into the cause are currently underway," police said.
The airport suspended flight operations due to the aviation emergency. In a statement on its website, the airport did not further specify the reason initially but said more information would follow.
According to dpa, an airport spokesperson said that six flights were delayed and two inbound flights were diverted to other airports as a precaution. Corendon Airlines stated in a statement sent to The Associated Press that "no emergency situation occurred" and that the 178 passengers, flight crew, or aircraft were not at any point in any danger.
This incident occurred amid heightened security measures across Europe. Authorities have stepped up surveillance of the skies in recent weeks due to an increasing number of mostly mysterious drone incidents and concerns about Russian malfeasance as Moscow’s war in Ukraine continues.
The German government last month blamed Russia for an attempted attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport in August using a drone laden with explosives. Following that incident, Berlin announced a shutdown of a Russian consulate among other measures. Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed Berlin’s allegations.
Moscow has been widely accused by Western officials of running a campaign of sabotage and disruption with the aim of undermining support for Ukraine and destabilizing European nations. However, in this specific instance, the cause was confirmed to be a technical malfunction rather than a security threat.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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