SZOLNOK, Hungary: A Hungarian Gripen crash near Szolnok on August 24 forced its pilot to eject, Prime Minister Péter Magyar said. Authorities reported no other injuries.
Magyar announced the crash on Facebook and said investigators had not yet established its cause. He added that the defence minister was travelling to the scene.
Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi later said an ambulance took the pilot to hospital. He said the pilot had directed the aircraft toward military land before ejecting, helping prevent injuries to other people.
The Hungarian military operates an air base near Szolnok. The crash happened late on Monday morning, August 24, but it did not provide an exact accident time or a Facebook posting time.
Hungary’s armed forces operate Gripen fighter aircraft from Kecskemét. According to the primary reports the fleet consists of 14 jets.
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Hungarian Gripens regularly participate in international military operations. The aircraft also helped protect Baltic airspace during the second half of 2025. Authorities have opened an investigation into the cause of the crash.
