A pair of Italian Air Force Eurofighter F-2000 fighter jets, on operational readiness at Grosseto's 4th Wing, took off this afternoon to identify a civilian aircraft that had lost radio communications while flying over national airspace.

Immediate take-off (“scramble”) was ordered for a civilian aircraft that took off from the island of Crete and was heading to Luxembourg, following a loss of radio contact recorded in the area west of Orvieto.

During the mission, communications between the civilian aircraft and air traffic control entities were re-established, leading to the conclusion of the Italian Air Force fighter jet intervention.

Scramble activation is part of the ordinary procedures for surveillance and defence of national and Atlantic Alliance airspace, guaranteed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.