Ten Passenger Flights Affected Across Europe by Bomb Threats
Ten passenger flights across Europe faced bomb threats, forcing emergency landings, security sweeps, and the deployment of fighter jets. All impacted aircraft landed safely, and authorities reported finding no explosive devices following extensive inspections. The widespread security scares disrupted travel schedules in multiple countries, prompting investigations into whether the warnings were coordinated.
Fighter Jets Escort Flights Amid Security Alerts
Ryanair flights were caught up in the security alerts. An anonymous report at Rome’s Fiumicino airport triggered a bomb disposal inspection on a flight arriving from Lisbon at approximately 9.40am local time, airport operator ADR stated. A second Ryanair flight travelling from Dublin, flight FR9611, was escorted by Italian Air Force fighter jets before landing safely at Fiumicino at approximately 10.45am.
In Bulgaria, transport minister Georgi Peev confirmed that a Ryanair flight from Dublin to Sofia received a threat but landed without diversion, while counter-terrorism officers also inspected a Wizz Air aircraft arriving from Bergamo, Italy. These incidents followed a disruption on Monday involving a Wizz Air flight from London Luton to Sofia, which was diverted to Budapest and escorted by a Hungarian fighter jet after a mid-air bomb threat.
Security Protocols Triggered at Murcia and Warsaw Airports
Spain’s government delegate for the Murcia region, Francisco Lucas, announced on social media that Murcia’s international airport activated security protocols after a bomb alert on a Ryanair flight from Manchester. All 114 passengers and seven crew members disembarked for security checks while forces inspected the aircraft.
In Poland, a LOT Polish Airlines flight from London to Warsaw was diverted to Warsaw-Modlin airport following an alert announced at 9.54am local time. The Boeing 737 MAX 8 landed safely with 181 passengers on board. A separate Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) flight from Copenhagen to Warsaw landed safely at Chopin airport under a security inspection that closed part of the airport.
Officials Characterize Threats as Malicious Hoaxes
Downing Street characterized two UK departures involved in the chaos as “malicious hoaxes,” while a UK Department for Transport source told The Guardian that the low-level threats were “not credible.” Philip Baum, a visiting professor of aviation security at Coventry University, told The Guardian that most such alerts originate from individuals seeking to delay flights or perpetrate pranks. Authorities across Europe continue to investigate the origins of the threats, while The Guardian noted that Ryanair did not respond to requests for comment regarding the incidents.