Another wave of bomb threats targeting passenger aircraft across Europe has disrupted air travel, with more than ten flights reportedly affected on Thursday alone. Several planes were diverted to airports other than their intended destinations, while security teams launched inspections following emergency landings.
Bomb threats on European flights all week
Among the affected services was an Aer Lingus Airbus A320 travelling from Dublin to Rome. The aircraft declared an emergency and diverted to Évreux military airbase in northern France, landing around 90 minutes after take-off. The plane was escorted by fighter jets.
A passenger told the Daily Mail that panic broke out on board after the diversion. The pilot initially cited a technical issue before passengers were informed after landing that the aircraft had received a security threat, which was reportedly not considered credible.
A Finnair flight from Helsinki to Rome also received a bomb threat. Italian fighter jets escorted the aircraft to Rome’s Fiumicino Airport, where it landed at its original destination. In Romania, nearly 200 passengers were evacuated from a Wizz Air aircraft arriving from Milan at Bucharest’s Henri Coandă International Airport. The Romanian Intelligence Service’s bomb disposal team began examining the plane.
A LOT Polish Airlines flight from Warsaw to Brussels was also inspected. No explosive device was found, after checks were carried out by crew members during the flight and by specialists following its arrival. Czech police reported threats against four aircraft heading to Prague. Authorities assessed the threats as low-risk, but confirmed that bomb disposal experts would examine the planes after landing.
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Diversions across the continent
According to the BBC, other affected flights included Wizz Air services from Milan to Warsaw and Bucharest, Ryanair flights from Copenhagen and Madrid to Sofia, and a London-to-Sofia Ryanair service diverted to Plovdiv.
The latest incidents follow a series of similar alerts earlier in the week. On Tuesday, at least seven European flights reportedly received bomb threats, prompting diversions and security checks. Several airports were temporarily closed amid the disruption. The wave began on Monday, when a Wizz Air flight from London to Sofia was diverted to Budapest. A Hungarian Gripen fighter jet escorted the aircraft during its landing.
Although some earlier threats were later found to be false, the repeated incidents have prompted heightened security measures across several countries. Authorities continue to inspect affected aircraft, while the alerts have raised concerns over the safety and reliability of European air travel. So far, no explosive devices have been confirmed in the incidents described in the reports.
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