A civilian aircraft triggered an alarm after a prolonged lack of radio contact with national air traffic control bodies. The aircraft, according to its regular flight plan, had taken off from the island of Zakynthos, Greece, bound for Zurich. At a certain point on its route, radio contact with civilian air traffic control bodies was lost, which consequently alerted the Air Defence command chain for checks.
At 3:20 PM, after several unsuccessful attempts to contact the aircraft’s pilots, the two Eurofighter jets took off from Grosseto. However, after approximately twenty minutes of flight, they received the order to “stop scramble,” meaning the interception was cancelled, as the civilian aircraft had re-established radio contact.
The Italian Air Force ensures the surveillance of national airspace 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, with an integrated defence system, even in peacetime, with that of other NATO countries. The service is guaranteed by the 4th Wing of Grosseto, the 36th Wing of Gioia del Colle and the 37th Wing of Trapani with Eurofighter fighter aircraft.
