Kolkata: A jet carrying EU chief Von der Leyen to Plovdiv on Sunday afternoon lost all electrical navigation support when approaching the Plovdiv airport in Bulgaria, reports The Sun.
Russian hand in this act is being suspected, according to some officials.
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For long, Von der Leyen has been a Vladimir Putin critic.
One of them said to the Financial Times, “The whole airport area GPS went dark. It was undeniable interference.”
Von der Leyen’s plane was circling the airport for about an hour before deciding to land with old-school paper maps, the official said.
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Plovdiv Airport’s GPS could have smashed by jamming and spoofing.
Cases of GPS jamming are on the rise in recent years – especially in the Baltic Sea and eastern Europe, near Russia.
Planes, boats and civilians with GPS devices have suffered.
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Von der Leyen was flying from the Polish capital Warsaw to Plodiv to meet Bulagaria’s Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov.
She is currently visiting EU states on the frontline with Russia to discuss defence protocols.
She said on Putin after landing in Bulgaria, “Putin has not changed, and he will not change.
“He is a predator. He can only be kept in check through strong deterrence.”
Bulgaria is one of the key arms suppliers to Ukraine.
Von der Leyen left Plovdiv on the same plane without incident after the visit.
EU governments have been sending alarming signals on the rising cases of GPS jamming – putting the blame on Russia – risk causing a major air disaster.