A Hungarian military pilot ejected safely when his JAS 39 Gripen fighter jet crashed on Monday near the city of Szolnok in central Hungary. Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced the incident on Facebook, stating that the reasons for the crash are "still unknown."
An investigation into the incident has been launched, and Minister of Defense Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi was en route to the crash site. Ruszin-Szendi confirmed that the pilot was "alive and has not sustained any injuries." He also indicated that the pilot appeared to have guided the aircraft to land on military property.
Mihály Győrfi, the mayor of Szolnok, told local media that the pilot was likely engaged in routine training at a nearby helicopter base and confirmed no injuries to the public were reported.
Hungary operates 18 JAS 39 Gripen fighters. Fourteen of these were acquired through a lease-purchase program initiated in 2001, with an additional four ordered in 2024 and recently joining the fleet.