Hijack alert halts Nuremberg flights

A flight from Corfu to Nuremberg triggered a hijacking alert from the cockpit, forcing one of Germany's biggest international airports to suspend operations briefly on Tuesday.

The code and the silence

Police said the cockpit transmitted code seven five zero zero, the hijacking case code, and the pilot could no longer be reached by radio. Various alarm scrambles were triggered for safety.

“From the cockpit, the code '7500' (hijacking case) was transmitted, and furthermore, the pilot could no longer be reached by radio.”

Airline blames radio malfunction

Corendon Airlines said the Boeing seven thirty seven eight hundred transmitted the emergency code while in Croatian airspace due to a brief malfunction in the radio communication system.

No danger, airline insists

Corendon Airlines emphasised that no emergency situation occurred and passengers, flight crew and aircraft were never in danger. The aircraft landed safely at Nuremberg Airport.

“no emergency situation occurred and that at no point were the passengers, flight crew or aircraft in any danger”

Drone sighting compounds alert

A possible drone sighting had already disrupted air traffic overnight into Tuesday. Three pilots independently reported an object during take-off or landing, delaying six flights and diverting two.

Heightened alert across Europe

German authorities remain on heightened alert following an explosives-laden drone found at Leipzig Airport in August and a failed attack at another German airport. Authorities across Europe have stepped up sky surveillance.