European Airspace: Dozen Flights Diverted After New Wave of Bomb Threats
Emergency landings occurred across France, Bulgaria, and Italy on Thursday as airlines processed fresh threats following a week of similar hoax incidents.
By Lorenzo Patterson ·
Travelers across Europe faced delays and emergency landings on Thursday after authorities confirmed more than a dozen flights were targeted by bomb threats. The disruptions forced airlines to divert aircraft to alternative airports or conduct immediate inspections at their intended destinations. No hazardous materials were found in the confirmed cases.
The incidents spanned major hubs including Copenhagen, Dublin, Helsinki, Madrid, Milan, and Warsaw. Most planes diverted to nearby airports for safety checks, while others landed at their original destinations for inspection. Authorities stated that the latest wave of threats follows a string of similar hoax alerts earlier in the week.
A flight from Dublin to Rome required a specific diversion to a military air base in western France. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s office confirmed the plane landed safely at the Evreux base in Normandy. All 151 passengers and six crew members were accounted for. Military bomb disposal teams examined the aircraft on the ground.
In Italy, a Finnair flight from Helsinki to Rome arrived at Leonardo da Vinci airport around 9:30 a.m. Italian air force fighter jets escorted the plane to the runway. An airport official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that police bomb disposal experts completed security clearance procedures. They found no explosives on board.
Bulgaria handled three emergency landings for Ryanair flights bound for Sofia. Two aircraft, originating from Copenhagen and Madrid, landed safely at Sofia’s Vasil Levski Airport. A third flight from London’s Stansted Airport was diverted to Plovdiv, the country’s second-largest city. Plovdiv Airport CEO Krassimir Peshev confirmed the plane landed safely.
Czech police inspected four additional planes that landed in Prague after receiving bomb threats. The search of all four aircraft came back clear. Police did not release details on the flights' points of origin. In Poland, authorities checked a LOT flight departing Warsaw for Paris. One runway at Chopin airport was temporarily closed during standard security procedures. No threat was identified.
A Wizz Air flight from Milan to Bucharest landed safely in Romania following a reported threat. Airport spokesman Teo Postelnicu confirmed the aircraft arrived without incident. A separate flight to Warsaw landed in Vienna after Polish authorities received a mail containing an abstract threat. Police spokesperson Stefan Loidl said the plane continued to Warsaw after a clear search.
Loidl noted that an abstract threat also targeted Vienna Airport, concerning four other flights. He declined to identify those specific flights, stating that operations were not disrupted. Polish airline LOT also confirmed that a Warsaw to Brussels flight landed at its destination. Inspections found no suspicious items.
The current round of alerts arrives amid increased geopolitical tensions and various disruptions in the region. These include drone incursions, attacks on supermarket refrigeration systems, and mysterious triggers on alert apps. Authorities have warned that hybrid threats are common in the current environment.
Earlier this week, several flights from carriers including LOT, Scandinavian Airlines, Wizz Air, and Ryanair faced similar hoax threats. One plane headed for Bulgaria was diverted to Hungary due to a similar in-air threat. No injuries were reported in the prior incidents.
