European airlines report over a dozen bomb threats in 24 hours
Flights from major hubs like Dublin and Warsaw were diverted or escorted by military jets, though inspections found no explosives.
By Justin Brooks ·
Airlines across Europe confirmed more than a dozen flights received bomb threats on Thursday, forcing diversions and emergency landings from cities including Copenhagen, Dublin, Helsinki, Madrid, Milan, and Warsaw. Authorities stated that inspections of the aircraft so far have not revealed hazardous materials. The incidents follow a series of similar hoaxes earlier in the week that also prompted security sweeps and military escorts.
The threats targeted a wide range of routes. A LOT Polish Airlines flight from Warsaw to Brussels landed at its destination without incident. A Wizz Air plane traveling from Milan to Bucharest also arrived safely. In a more complex case, a Finnair flight from Helsinki to Rome landed at Leonardo da Vinci airport around 9:30 a.m. local time. Italian air force fighter jets escorted the aircraft until it touched down. An airport official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said police bomb disposal experts completed security clearance procedures and found no explosives.
French authorities detailed a diversion involving a flight from Dublin to Rome. The plane landed at a military air base in Evreux, Normandy. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s office confirmed that all 151 passengers and six crew members were safe. Military bomb disposal teams were examining the aircraft at the base. The office said it was monitoring the situation in real time but did not release further details immediately.
In the Czech Republic, police cleared four planes that landed in Prague after receiving threats. Officials did not specify the flights' origins. In Austria, Stefan Loidl, a police spokesperson in Lower Austria province, said a flight to Warsaw landed in Vienna after Polish authorities received a mail containing an abstract threat. The plane continued to its destination after a search. Loidl also noted an abstract threat to four other flights at Vienna Airport, though operations were not disrupted.
Polish authorities checked a LOT flight scheduled to depart from Warsaw to Paris on Thursday morning after a threat was reported at Chopin Airport. Spokesman Piotr Rudzki said no threat was ultimately identified. One runway at the airport was temporarily closed during standard security procedures. Three Ryanair flights bound for Sofia, Bulgaria, also made emergency landings. Two landed at Vasil Levski Airport in Sofia. A third flight, originating from London’s Stansted Airport, diverted to Plovdiv. Krassimir Peshev, the CEO of Plovdiv Airport, confirmed the plane landed safely.
These events occur amid increased geopolitical tensions and other disruptions in Europe, including attacks on supermarket refrigeration systems and drone incursions. Authorities have warned that hybrid threats are common. Earlier this week, flights from Polish airline LOT, Scandinavian Airlines, Wizz Air, and Ryanair faced similar hoax threats. One plane headed for Bulgaria was diverted to Hungary after receiving a threat in the air. No one was injured in those earlier incidents.
