German Jets Escort Corendon Flight After Hijacking Scare
Corendon Airlines flight landed safely in Nuremberg after a radio malfunction triggered a hijacking alert and a temporary airport shutdown.
German authorities scrambled fighter jets and briefly shut down Nuremberg Airport on October 13, 2026, after a Corendon Airlines Boeing 737-800 transmitted an emergency code suggesting a hijacking. The aircraft, traveling from Corfu, Greece, triggered the alert while flying over Croatia.
Because air traffic control and police were unable to establish radio contact with the cockpit, officials assumed a hijacking was in progress. The Mittelfranken Police cordoned off the airport as a precaution, leading to the suspension of all flight operations. The closure caused six flight delays and two diversions, including affected Ryanair services between Nuremberg and Stansted Airport.
The aircraft eventually landed safely in Nuremberg. Corendon Airlines later clarified that the emergency code resulted from a brief malfunction in the radio communication system and stated that passengers and crew were never in danger. The incident occurred during a period of heightened European aerial surveillance following concerns over drone incidents and Russian sabotage.
