Croatian Rafale intercepts Malta-registered passenger plane — Anadolu Agency

A Rafale fighter jet of the Croatian Air Force intercepted a Malta-registered Boeing passenger plane over the central part of the country on October 13. NATO’s Air Operations Command identified the aircraft as a potential threat, Anadolu Agency reports, citing Croatia Week, which quoted Croatia’s Ministry of Defence.

Signal of a possible hijacking

The aircraft was travelling from Greece to Germany. NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre in Torrejón, Spain, ordered its interception.

According to Italy’s Command Reporting Centre, the aircraft was transmitting transponder code 7500. This code signals a possible hijacking of an aircraft.

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Escorted out of the country

The Croatian fighter intercepted the aircraft at 11:02 over Korenica in central Croatia. According to the source, the fighter pilot established radio contact with the passenger aircraft and then escorted it out of Croatian airspace.

At 11:20, the passenger plane entered Slovenian airspace. Since January 1, Croatia has conducted air patrols with Rafale fighter jets as part of NATO’s integrated air and missile defence system.