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Germany scrambles fighter planes for Jet Airways flight after communication failure with Cologne air traffic control

 German Air Force scrambled two jets to escort a Jet Airways flight after air traffic control could not establish contact with it.

Germany scrambles fighter planes for Jet Airways flight after communication failure with Cologne air traffic control File photo - Representational image

Delhi: German Air Force scrambled two jets to escort a Jet Airways flight after the Cologne air traffic control could not establish contact with it, as per a media report.

According to The Times of India, the incident happened on February 16 due to a reported communication failure.

Boeing-777 was flying from Mumbai to London on Thursday as 9W-118.

It was overflying close to Cologne when its cockpit crew did not respond to ATC communications after which German Air Force scrambled jets to escort the Jet aircraft.

These planes managed to establish an intercept contact following which the Jet pilots established contact with the ATC, as per TOI.

Once the communication was restored, the aircraft (VT-JEX) continued its flight to London.

The crew of flight 9W-118 have been grounded.

The Daily quoted a statement by Jet Airways as saying, "Contact between Jet Airways flight 9W 118, from Mumbai to London Heathrow, of February 16, 2017, and the local ATC, was briefly lost while flying over German airspace. Communication was safely restored within a few minutes. As a precaution, the German Air Force deployed its aircraft to ensure the safety of the flight and its guests. The flight with 330 guests and 15 crew subsequently landed at London without incident. Jet Airways has duly reported the matter to the concerned authorities including the DGCA. As part of the standard process, the flight crew of 9W 118 has been de-rostered pending investigation."