As per reports, multiple flights travelling across Europe received bomb threats, prompting aircraft diversions, emergency landings, military escorts and security inspections on Thursday (05 November).
• The incidents affected flights operating between several European countries, including Ireland, Italy, France, Bulgaria, Poland, Spain, the Czech Republic and Austria.
• France: An Aer Lingus flight (EI402) travelling from Dublin, Ireland, to Rome, Italy, was diverted to the Évreux military air base in Normandy following a reported bomb threat. The aircraft landed safely, and all 151 passengers and six crew members were reported safe. Military bomb disposal teams were deployed to inspect the aircraft.
• Bulgaria: Three aircraft reportedly conducted emergency landings following bomb threats. Two flights originating from Copenhagen, Denmark, and Madrid, Spain, landed in Sofia, while another aircraft travelling from London, United Kingdom, landed in Plovdiv, according to local media reports citing Bulgarian officials.
• Italy: Italian Air Force units escorted a Finnair flight travelling from Helsinki, Finland, to Rome, Italy, following a bomb alert. The aircraft landed safely in Rome. Separately, a Ryanair flight from Porto, Portugal, to Milan, Italy, and an Aegean Airlines flight from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Milan received bomb threats but landed at their intended destinations.
• Belgium: A LOT Polish Airlines flight travelling from Warsaw, Poland, to Brussels, Belgium, landed safely at its scheduled destination following a security warning. Subsequent inspections reportedly found no suspicious items.
• Czech Republic: Czech police reported bomb threats involving four flights travelling to Prague. All four aircraft subsequently landed, although additional information regarding the security inspections was not specified in the available report.
• Spain: Spanish authorities reported that three flights were affected by hoax bomb threats at an airport in Madrid on Thursday (05 November). Security forces subsequently ruled out any risk to the aircraft.
• Austria, Poland and Romania: A Wizz Air flight travelling from Milan, Italy, to Warsaw, Poland, was diverted to Vienna, Austria, following a bomb threat. A separate Finnair flight from Helsinki to Vienna and a Wizz Air flight from Milan to Bucharest, Romania, also received threats but landed at their scheduled destinations.
• United Kingdom: British Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander acknowledged that a small number of flights across Europe had been disrupted and stated that established aviation security procedures were being followed. The Metropolitan Police’s aviation unit was expected to coordinate with relevant authorities.
• The incidents followed a series of similar bomb threats reported earlier in the week, when at least seven flights, including two originating from the United Kingdom, were affected by security alerts that resulted in diversions and temporary airport closures.
Categories: Travel Risks - Flights
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