Gripen pilot expected to fully recover after operation

A successful operation has been performed on the pilot of the Gripen aircraft that crashed on Monday, the defence minister said on Facebook after receiving information from the hospital. Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi said the pilot was expected to make a full recovery.

Ruszin-Szendi said he hoped the pilot could fly again soon. "It is his greatest wish and we cannot wish him otherwise," the minister said.

The jet, belonging to the Hungarian military, crashed near Szolnok, in eastern Hungary. The pilot could eject from the aircraft but was hospitalised with a spinal injury.

Earlier:

According to a preliminary report, there were no injuries or damage to civilian infrastructure, Magyar said.

Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi said in a video on Facebook that the pilot is alive. "He did everything in his power to ensure that the aircraft crashed in army territory," he added.

Ruszin-Szendi said an investigation into the crash was under way.

In a video recorded at the site of the accident in the afternoon, the minister said the civil infrastructure had not been damaged in the accident "thanks to the calmness and skills of the pilot and rapid response by the military and firefighters".

Ruszin-Szendi said the Gripen's black box data would be evaluated later, adding that Swedish experts were likely to participate in the investigation.

He said the jet had carried air-to-air missiles and autocannon ammunition, which could have caused further damage had the firemen not started cooling the wreck almost immediately after the crash.

Chief of the General Staff Zsolt Sandor said the Gripen caught fire after landing. The aircraft issued a warning, and the accompanying Gripen fighter tried to guide it to the airfield. After landing, the aircraft veered left, stopped, and caught fire, Sandor explained.

He added that Gripen training flights had been suspended until the investigation was complete. The investigation would continue until the cause of the crash was determined, with only standby aircraft fulfilling operational duties in the meantime, he said.

Deputy Air Force Commander Tamas Bali said the crashed Gripen and its pair had been engaged in a simulated air combat exercise as part of their operational duties.

The National Ambulance Service said on Facebook that the pilot is in a stable condition.

The aircraft took off from Kecskemet and crashed at the premises of the MH Kiss Jozsef 86th Helicopter Brigade in Szolnok, Mihaly Gyorfi, the mayor of Szolnok, told reporters at the scene.

Footage published by the Szolnok Hangja news portal shows smoke billowing from the airbase area. The video can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/reel/1052280330510551.

Laszlo Kurtos, parliamentary state secretary at the defence ministry, said the pilot's injuries were serious but not life-threatening. In a post on Facebook, Kurtos said he had visited the pilot at the Honved military hospital. He said the pilot was "in good spirits" and had asked when he could fly again.

The pilot, facing an emergency, chose not to abandon the aircraft, instead bringing it back to the Szolnok base and only ejecting after the emergency landing, prioritising the safety of the civilian population throughout, Kurtos said.

In a statement sent to MTI, the North-Pest Centrum Hospital said that the pilot was well, but he suffered a spinal injury and would have an operation on Tuesday.

The last accident involving a Hungarian Gripen fighter jet occurred on June 10, 2015 at Kecskemet military airbase, when a pilot failed to retract the nose gear after takeoff. After running out of fuel, the pilot attempted a belly landing, but the aircraft became uncontrollable, forcing him to eject.

He suffered injuries that took over a week to recover from.
 

Earlier:

Local reports said the aircraft came down and caught fire, with large amounts of dark smoke visible from the area.

Footage of the burning aircraft has also begun circulating in Hungarian media.

Prime Minister Péter Magyar said the cause of the crash was not yet known and that the defence minister would provide further information. He said a preliminary report indicated that there were no injuries and no damage to civilian infrastructure.

Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi confirmed that the pilot was now “stable", saying he had done everything possible to ensure that the aircraft came down on military territory. 

The minister and the chief of the general staff travelled to the scene, where an investigation into the circumstances of the crash is underway.

The National Ambulance Service later reported that the pilot was transported by helicopter to hospital for observation.

The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation. Hungarian media have reported that the pilot may have experienced a hydraulic problem and that one of the aircraft's landing-gear units may not have opened during an attempted emergency landing. These reports have not been officially confirmed.

The crash occurred near Szolnok, home to an important Hungarian military aviation base. Szolnok Mayor Mihály Győrfi said the aircraft was apparently involved in a routine training flight and confirmed that there were no other injuries.

Hungary operates a fleet of 18 Swedish-made JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets. Four additional Gripens were ordered in 2024, completing the country's planned fleet.

Further crash details are expected as the investigation continues.

Source: MTI – Hungary’s national news agency since 1881.

Photo: Pixabay

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