At least 22 flights hit by bomb threats across Europe in four days
At least 22 passenger flights across Europe were targeted by reported bomb threats between November 2 and 5, triggering emergency landings, diversions, fighter jet escorts and extensive security checks at airports across the continent.
The incidents affected several major airlines, including Ryanair, Wizz Air, LOT Polish Airlines, SAS, Finnair, Jettime, Aer Lingus and Aegean Airlines.
No explosive devices were reported in the aircraft inspected in the incidents detailed by authorities.
Multiple countries report security alerts
The first reported incident occurred on November 2, when a Wizz Air flight travelling from London to Sofia was diverted to Budapest following a bomb threat. Security teams inspected the aircraft and found no explosives before it continued to Bulgaria.
On November 3, further threats were reported in Spain, Poland, Bulgaria and Italy, affecting seven passenger flights.
In Spain, a Ryanair aircraft arriving from Manchester landed in Murcia, where 114 passengers and seven crew members were evacuated for security checks.
In Poland, two Warsaw-bound flights were targeted, including a LOT Polish Airlines service from London Heathrow and an SAS flight from Copenhagen.
Bulgaria reported an emergency landing at Sofia Airport involving an aircraft arriving from Israel, while Italy recorded two bomb alerts involving Ryanair flights from Dublin and Lisbon at Rome's Fiumicino Airport.
Italian fighter jets were also scrambled to escort the aircraft arriving from Lisbon.
At least 15 flights targeted on Thursday
The number of reported incidents increased on November 5, when at least 15 flights across Europe received bomb threats.
In France, an Aer Lingus Airbus A320 travelling from Dublin to Rome was diverted to an air base in Évreux, Normandy. The aircraft, carrying 151 passengers and six crew members, landed safely before military bomb disposal teams began inspections.
In Italy, fighter jets escorted a Finnair flight from Helsinki to Rome. Meanwhile, Aegean Airlines and Ryanair flights heading to Milan Malpensa also faced bomb scares but landed as scheduled.
Other incidents involved a Finnair flight operated by Jettime travelling to Vienna and a Wizz Air service from Milan to Warsaw, which made an unscheduled landing in the Austrian capital. No suspicious objects were found during the reported inspections.
Bulgaria scrambled MiG-29 fighter jets after three Ryanair flights bound for Sofia were targeted.
In Romania, passengers on a Wizz Air flight from Milan to Bucharest were evacuated following a bomb threat, while security specialists inspected the aircraft.
Belgium, the Czech Republic and Poland also reported incidents involving LOT Polish Airlines flights and other passenger aircraft, prompting additional security procedures.
EU activates aviation security coordination
European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas said the European Union was closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with affected member states and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
Describing threats against civilians as “unacceptable”, Tzitzikostas stressed that public safety remained a priority.
He confirmed that the EU-level aviation security information-sharing mechanism had been activated and called on national authorities to work closely with airports, airlines and law enforcement agencies.
However, the commissioner cautioned against drawing premature conclusions about the incidents.
“It is too early to draw conclusions on whether the reported incidents are linked. National investigations remain ongoing,” he said.
National authorities remain responsible for assessing the threats, investigating their origins and implementing the necessary security measures as European aviation authorities continue monitoring the situation.
Source:AA
