NATO aircraft forces conducted their first intervention in Montenegrin airspace, intercepting a civilian aircraft flying in from Croatia, the Alliance said on Thursday.

The NATO combat aircraft intercepted a civilian plane which had lost communication with air traffic control.

A press release sent to the media in Podgorica said that the civilian aircraft was intercepted by two Italian Eurofighters flying out of the Gioia del Colle air base outside the port of Bari. The intercept was ordered by the NATO Combined Air Operations Centre in Torrejon, Spain.

“Two Eurofighter aircraft who are on alert to protect NATO airspace over Italy, Albania and Montenegro under the auspices of the Alliance, successfully intercepted the aircraft only a few minutes later,” the press release said and added that the loss of communication was a misunderstanding between civilian air traffic control and the airliner crew.

The airliner resumed contact with civilian air traffic controllers and continued to the Egyptian resort of Hurghada, the Alliance said.