Xinhua reported on Thursday that bomb threats had been received on several passenger flights across Europe, prompting diversions and security responses. The reported threats targeted airlines flying from Copenhagen, Madrid and London to Sofia, and a LOT flight from Warsaw to Brussels. No incidents were reported and all the affected aircraft landed safely, according to the agency.
International Responses
Bulgarian authorities, citing their Transport and Communications Ministry, said that the Bulgarian Air Force scrambled MiG‑29 fighters from Graf Ignatievo Air Base to intercept and escort the threatened flights. The air policing mission, conducted on orders from NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre, began at 10:11 a.m. and resulted in the successful escort of the aircraft. One plane landed at Plovdiv Airport, while the other two landed at Sofia Airport.
In France, officials confirmed that a Dublin‑to‑Rome flight had been diverted to a military airbase following a bomb threat. The French prime minister’s office released the information, but did not detail whether the aircraft were diverted due to a credible threat or as a precautionary measure.
Reuters highlighted a new wave of bomb threats hitting passenger flights across Europe. Airlines affected include Aer Lingus, Wizz Air, LOT, and Finnair, with flights destined for Prague, Paris, Rome, Brussels, and Warsaw. The report notes the breadth of the incidents but does not provide details on security interception or outcomes.
Additional reports from European media noted that threats were also reported in Italy, Bulgaria and Belgium. The Guardian, though its cited page was unavailable, referenced a similar pattern of bomb threats, and a Belgian news outlet BRUZZ reported that a LOT flight from Warsaw landed safely at Brussels after a suspicious report.
All flights that were affected by the reported threats have so far landed without incident. Diversions to alternate airports were undertaken in some cases, and military jet escort missions were deployed where warranted.
Uncertainties remain regarding the exact number of threats, the methods used to intercept or verify them, and whether any additional incidents might emerge as investigations continue. The reports collectively highlight the range of destinations and the precautionary measures taken, but do not yet prove whether all threats were credible or all aircraft were fully serviced by the security responses.