Hungary lifts Gripen training ban as black box investigation moves to Sweden

Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi announced that the black box from the JAS 39 Gripen fighter jet involved in the August 24 accident has been transported to Sweden. Hungarian and Swedish specialists are currently examining the data to reconstruct the events and determine the cause of the malfunction.

Following the accident, which occurred during paired exercises, a suspension on Gripen training flights was in place. However, Chief of Staff Zsolt Sándor has decided to lift this training ban, as Gripen aircraft have already been scrambled twice since the incident. While training resumes, the fleet will continue to fulfill its readiness duties.

The pilot involved in the crash, who sustained a spinal injury during ejection, has been discharged from the hospital and is recovering at home. The minister praised the pilots for their heroism, noting they prioritized avoiding damage to civilian infrastructure by returning the aircraft to the Szolnok base before ejecting. In recognition of their actions, the city of Szolnok intends to award the pilots the title of ‘Distinguished of Szolnok’.