Flights briefly vanish from Austrian air traffic
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A total of 13 aircraft suddenly vanished off radars for about 25 minutes on two occasions while flying over Austria, figures have revealed.
It what is being billed as 'unprecedented', the incidents on June 5 and Tuesday saw the flight data disappear from air controller screens in several countries.
Austria's flight safety organisation said the height, location and other information for a total of 13 aircraft suddenly vanished.
'Unprecedented': The planes disappeared from radars over Australia. Pictured, air traffic controllers in Zurich
Marcus Pohanka of Austro Control said relevant EU agencies have been asked to investigate.
He added that other unnamed neighboring countries had similar incidents and the EU's Eurocontrol, and European Aviation Safety Agency has been asked for a probe.
Pohanka did not identify the other nations, but the Berliner Kurier newspaper said flight controllers in Munich and Karlsruhe in Germany, and in Prague, the Czech republic also reported related problems.
Kurier cited unnamed experts as saying interference between the aircrafts' transponders and ground control was apparently to blame.
Investigation: The data for the planes disappeared as they were flying over Austria and other European countries
Pohanka declined to confirm that or to say which airlines and planes were involved. But he suggested that at least some may have been long-distance passenger aircraft, based on their high altitudes.
There was no danger at any time, he said.
Pohanka said extra air controllers immediately were called to their posts and emergency measures, including establishing voice contact with the pilots and widening flight corridors, were put into effect.
The EU's Eurocontrol and European Aviation Safety Agency will investigate the incidents.
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