Overview
- A Corendon Airlines Boeing 737 en route from Corfu transmitted transponder code 7500, which signals a hijacking, lost brief radio contact and was escorted by Eurofighter jets before landing safely on Tuesday.
- On-site inspections found no immediate danger and the airline said the emergency code was sent by a short radio or transponder malfunction rather than an onboard threat.
- Earlier the same night three pilots independently reported an unidentified object near Nuremberg during takeoffs and landings, police deployed a helicopter and search teams but could not verify the sighting.
- Authorities temporarily suspended operations, delayed six flights and diverted at least two inbound services as a precaution, then reopened the airport gradually after security checks.
- Investigations are ongoing into both the hijack alert and the overnight sightings, and the episode comes against recent European concerns about drones after an explosives-laden drone was found near Leipzig/Halle Airport in August.