Bomb threats force 15 flights to divert across Europe
No explosives found; EU says it is too early to link incidents
At least 15 commercial flights across Europe were diverted or made emergency landings on Thursday after bomb threats, triggering extensive security operations and widespread disruption. Authorities found no explosives on any of the aircraft.
The incidents marked the second such widespread security alert this week, following at least seven similar hoax threats targeting flights across Europe on Tuesday and a Wizz Air diversion to Budapest on Monday. The source of the threats remains unclear, though some were sent via email.
An Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome carrying 151 passengers and six crew members was diverted to a military air base in Evreux, western France. French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s office confirmed the safe landing and the deployment of military bomb disposal teams to inspect the aircraft.
A Finnair flight from Helsinki to Rome was escorted to the Italian capital by fighter jets, according to Italy’s national news agency ANSA. Rome’s Leonardo Da Vinci Airport temporarily halted flights for 30 minutes while the situation was handled. Another Finnair flight from Helsinki to Vienna also received a hoax threat.
In Bulgaria, three Ryanair flights bound for Sofia were forced to make emergency landings due to bomb threats. Two of these flights, originating from Copenhagen and Madrid, landed at Sofia’s Vasil Levski Airport. The third, from London’s Stansted Airport, was diverted to Plovdiv. Bulgarian MiG-29 fighter jets were scrambled to escort these civilian aircraft.
A Wizz Air flight from Milan to Bucharest landed safely in Bucharest after a bomb threat, with 182 passengers and seven crew members disembarking for security inspections by Romania’s Intelligence Service. Another Wizz Air flight from Milan to Warsaw was rerouted to Vienna. LOT Polish Airlines confirmed a flight from Warsaw to Brussels landed safely after a security warning, with no suspicious items found following inspections. Additionally, four flights heading to Prague received threats, landing safely for inspection by Czech police, who assessed the credibility of the threats as low.
Italian authorities received anonymous warnings for the Aer Lingus and Finnair flights, with one email subject line stating “threat warning” and purporting to be from “fighter of the male state.”
Security experts are considering these repeated threats as a form of “hybrid disruption.” Eliran Almog, CEO of aviation cybersecurity firm Cyviation, suggested the threats could aim to disrupt operations, observe how authorities respond, and undermine public confidence. He noted these aviation threats coincide with recent cyberattacks on supermarket refrigeration systems across Europe.
European officials have previously attributed “hybrid attacks” and acts of sabotage to Russia and Iran, accusations both countries deny. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency stated it is monitoring developments, while Europol stands ready to support national authorities if the threats are linked to organized crime or terrorism.
EU transport commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said it is “too early to draw conclusions on whether the reported incidents are linked.”
