Aviation security authorities across Europe are investigating after seven passenger flights, including two departing from airports in the United Kingdom, were targeted by suspected bomb threats. Emergency protocols were activated in several countries, but comprehensive searches of all affected aircraft revealed no explosives on board.
In Italy, two Ryanair flights arriving at Rome's Fiumicino airport from Dublin and Lisbon were inspected by police bomb disposal teams. The flight from Dublin was escorted into Italian airspace by fighter jets from the Italian Air Force. Airport sources confirmed that security checks on passengers, baggage, and the planes yielded negative results, allowing the security alerts to be cleared.
Spanish authorities responded to a separate threat involving a flight from Manchester that landed at an airport in Murcia. Emergency services, fire engines, and bomb disposal units surrounded the aircraft on the runway shortly after landing. Passengers were safely evacuated and escorted off the plane by police, leaving their personal belongings behind while inspectors examined the cabin.
In Poland, two flights destined for Warsaw were affected by safety alerts. A flight originating from London Heathrow was diverted to Modlin airport instead of its planned destination at Chopin airport, prompting a brief closure of the Modlin facility. Meanwhile, a Scandinavian Airlines flight travelling from Copenhagen landed at Chopin airport as scheduled before undergoing safety checks.
Bulgarian officials also reported threats directed at two incoming flights to the capital city of Sofia from Bergamo and Dublin. Bulgaria's border police confirmed receiving an email warning of an explosive device onboard the Bergamo flight, alongside a similar notification for the Dublin service. Operational teams handled both incidents without diverting the planes, and no dangerous materials were discovered.
The widespread disruption comes a day after a Wizz Air flight from London Luton performed an emergency landing in Budapest following a bomb threat. British authorities described the latest incidents as malicious hoaxes, emphasizing that national aviation protocols remain robust. International officials are currently collaborating to determine whether the series of false alerts represents a coordinated effort to disrupt European airspace.
Source: BBC News
