NATO scrambled two Hungarian fighter jets on Saturday after a small private plane accidentally indicated it had been forced to change course,military and aviation officials said. The German-registered light aircraft was accompanied to its destination in western Hungary by the two Mig-29 jets, AP reported. The light plane was flying on a pre-declared route in Hungary when its pilot mistakenly sent a radio message indicating that the plane had been forced to divert its course, Defense Ministry spokesman Dezso Kiss said. NATO's air defense forces reacted and two Hungarian MiG-29 fighter jets were sent to check on the private plane, whose radio had broken down. After establishing visual contact with the private plane, the fighter jets escorted it to its destination in the western Hungarian city of Fertoszentmiklos, near the Austrian border, where it landed normally. Questioned at the airport, the Austrian pilot said he mistakenly sent the alarm signal about the plane having been diverted while trying to indicate to air traffic controllers that his radio had broken down. -- SPA 2348 Local Time 2048 GMT
