Over a dozen European flights diverted after wave of fake bomb threats
Military escorts and emergency landings occurred in France, Italy, and Bulgaria following a series of hoaxes that disrupted travel on Thursday.
By Leah Thompson ·
More than a dozen commercial flights across Europe were forced into emergency landings or diverted on Thursday after receiving bomb threats that officials have labeled malicious hoaxes. The disruptions affected routes connecting Copenhagen, Dublin, Helsinki, Madrid, Milan, and Warsaw. Inspections of the aircraft have not yet revealed any hazardous or suspicious materials.
Heidi Alexander, the British Transport Secretary, described the incidents as malicious hoax threats in comments to British broadcasters. Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the European Union’s Transport Commissioner, stated that threats against civilians are unacceptable. He noted that the EU executive branch is currently in contact with affected member countries. Tzitzikostas added that it is too early to determine if the incidents are linked, as national investigations remain ongoing.
The EU has activated an aviation security information-sharing mechanism. Tzitzikostas said there is no information yet confirming whether a cyberattack was the cause. These events occur amidst a period of increased geopolitical tension, which includes recent attacks on supermarket refrigeration systems, drone incursions, and unusual alert app triggers.
An Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome was diverted to a military air base in Evreux, Normandy, France. The French prime minister’s office confirmed that 151 passengers and six crew members were safe. Military bomb disposal teams examined the plane while passengers were questioned in groups of ten. Italian authorities alerted the French government to the threat, and a French warplane escorted the aircraft to the base.
In Italy, air force fighter jets escorted a Finnair flight from Helsinki to Rome after an email threat was received. The plane landed at Leonardo da Vinci airport around 9:30 a.m. local time. Police bomb disposal experts found no explosive materials. Finnair stated that two of its flights faced unfounded hoax bomb scares. A second Finnair flight from Helsinki to Vienna landed safely and was expected to return to service after inspections.
Other carriers confirmed similar incidents. Aegean Airlines said two flights from Thessaloniki to Milan and Athens to Vienna received threats that proved baseless. Czech police searched four planes in Prague and found nothing suspicious. A LOT Polish Airlines flight from Warsaw to Brussels landed safely with no hazardous items found. A Wizz Air flight from Milan to Bucharest also landed safely after checks turned up no threat.
A flight to Warsaw landed in Vienna after Polish authorities received a vague threat via mail. Police spokesperson Stefan Loidl said nothing was found and the plane continued to Warsaw. Loidl also mentioned a vague threat concerning four other flights at Vienna Airport that did not disrupt operations. At Warsaw’s Chopin Airport, a LOT flight bound for Paris was checked, and one runway was temporarily closed for standard security procedures.
Three Ryanair flights bound for Sofia, Bulgaria, made emergency landings due to bomb threats. Two planes from Copenhagen and Madrid landed at Sofia’s Vasil Levski Airport. A third flight from London’s Stansted Airport diverted to Plovdiv. Krassimir Peshev, CEO of Plovdiv Airport, confirmed the safe landing. The Bulgarian Ministry of Defense stated that fighter jets escorted the three planes through Bulgarian airspace.
