Multiple European Flights Diverted Following Bomb Threats
Several flights across Europe were diverted or made emergency landings on Thursday due to bomb threats, authorities said. No injuries were reported, and investigations are ongoing.
Multiple flights across Europe were diverted or made emergency landings on Thursday after receiving bomb threats, according to authorities. The incidents involved flights operated by Finnair, Ryanair, and Aer Lingus, among others, and prompted swift responses from local and national security agencies.
Finnair flight 1761 from Helsinki to Rome was targeted by a bomb threat but landed normally in the Italian capital, with nothing unusual found on board, Finnish broadcaster Yle reported. Separately, three Ryanair flights bound for Sofia, Bulgaria, made emergency landings due to bomb threats. Two of the flights, originating from Copenhagen and Madrid, landed safely at Sofia's Vasil Levski Airport. The third flight, from London Stansted to Sofia, was diverted to Plovdiv Airport, where it landed safely, according to Plovdiv Airport CEO Krassimir Peshev.
In a separate incident, an Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome was diverted to a military air base in Evreux, Normandy, France, due to a bomb threat, the French prime minister's office said. The flight landed safely, and all 151 passengers and six crew members were reported safe. Military bomb disposal teams are examining the aircraft. Flight tracking data showed the plane was approaching Paris when it sharplychanged course and made several loops before heading to Evreux.
These threats follow a series of hoax bomb threats across Europe this week that caused searches, diversions, and in one case, an escort by the Italian air force. Flights from Polish airline LOT, Scandinavian Airlines, Wizz Air, and Ryanair were among those affected. The incidents come amid heightened geopolitical tensions and warnings from authorities about hybrid threats, including attacks on infrastructure and drone incursions.
No injuries have been reported in any of the incidents. Authorities are investigating the threats, and the French prime minister's office said it is monitoring the situation in real time. Further information was not immediately available.
