‘Drunk’ pilot crashes ‘stolen’ Cessna plane near nuclear power plant

| Freelance News Reporter Published August 31, 2026 9:39am Updated August 31, 2026 9:39am An intoxicated pilot stole a light aircraft before crashing into a sunflower field in Hungary (Picture: X/@fl360aero) A pilot has been arrested on suspicion of stealing a light aircraft before landing it in the middle of a sunflower field near a nuclear power plant. Authorities in Hungary deployed two supersonic fighter jets after a man took off in an allegedly stolen Cessna from Kalocsa airfield. He proceeded to fly the jet into restricted airspace around the Paks nuclear power plant before conducting ‘manoeuvres’ over the facility, according to local reports. After being detected by military radar, Gripen fighters were dispatched to follow the aircraft, which made an emergency landing in a sunflower field in Tolan county, around 84 miles south of capital Budapest. The 24-year-old pilot appeared under the influence of alcohol when he emerged from the crashed plane. According to Hungary’s police force, Rendorseg, the suspect then attempted to flee the scene by taking control of a passing car. Sign up for all of the latest stories Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens. The pilot reportedly flew the stolen Cessna into restricted airspace over the Paks nuclear power plant, Hungary’s only facility of its kind (Picture: Balint Szentgallay/NurPhoto) He was found with minor injuries before being arrested by officers, who are now investigating the incident. The force said it was conducting a joint inspection of Kalocsa airfield alongside the country’s aviation authority, with similar checks at other airports to follow. Sharing the incident on Facebook, Hungarian defence minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi called the incident a ‘strange alert’. He said: ‘The Hungarian Defense Forces are ready. In the air. On the ground. 24 hours a day. ‘The most important thing, however, is that according to our current information, there was no personal injury. ‘Thank you to the defense forces for their quick response and stance.’ Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page. Arrow MORE: Man can’t understand why non-alcoholic gin in a tin isn’t a 999 matter Arrow MORE: My autism makes British pubs unbearable Arrow MORE: Twelve dead after tourist bus crashes in Hungary News Updates Stay on top of the headlines with daily email updates.