Plane from Israel forced to land in Bulgaria after bomb threat received by email

A plane traveling from Israel landed at Sofia airport after receiving a bomb threat by email, according to local media reports cited by The Jerusalem Post. Counter-terrorism units were called to inspect the aircraft for possible explosive devices, with Bulgaria’s Interior Minister Secretary General Lyubomir Nikolov quoted by the BTA news agency as confirming the security checks. The developing situation prompted an on-site response from security authorities as investigations continued, though the available material does not provide details on the flight number, exact timing, final destination beyond Sofia, or the current status of passengers and crew.

Egyptian Gazette supplements the report with coverage of a related European incident involving a LOT Polish Airlines flight. The LOT flight was operating from Heathrow in London to Warsaw and was diverted to Warsaw Modlin Airport after a bomb threat during its London-area transit. Reports from Dublin Live and My London indicate the flight carried 181 people and that emergency services were mobilized on arrival, with Modlin operations suspended or limited while security checks were conducted. The available material does not specify the exact flight number or the precise departure time from London, and it does not provide outcomes for passengers and crew after checks.

Atlas News (Atlas News/خبرگزاری اطلس) adds that the London-to-Warsaw scenario involved a Boeing 737 MAX, which diverted to Modlin around 10:01 a.m. local time with 181 passengers aboard. The aircraft was moved to a secure area at Modlin while security forces conducted inspections. Passengers were later allowed to disembark and directed to the arrivals hall as checks continued, and Modlin Airport suspended operations pending verification of the threat’s credibility. Bomb disposal units and coordinated security efforts were described as part of the response, connected to a broader pattern of bomb-threat activity across several European countries.

The Jerusalem Post’s broader European-context reporting reiterates the security-response pattern for flight threats, noting counter-terrorism units inspecting an Israel-originating flight after an emailed bomb threat and referencing Lyubomir Nikolov’s confirmation via BTA. The article emphasizes the on-site focus on security checks and the ongoing assessment of aircraft and surroundings, but again does not provide specifics on flight timing, the exact destination beyond Sofia, or the final status of passengers and crew. The reporting frames the incident within ongoing security reviews.

Thurrock Gazette contributes a brief note about a bomb threat on a passenger aircraft bound for a Stansted Airport destination, describing the event as a suspected bomb threat with security teams involved, though it does not reveal the flight details, aircraft type, or timings. The report aligns with the broader pattern of security responses to bomb threats affecting European air travel, but it does not establish particular outcomes for this incident.

BBC coverage introduces a separate but contextually relevant thread by describing a Ryanair flight from Manchester to Murcia Corvera Airport that triggered a security response after landing, with passengers kept inside a hangar for about three hours. The report highlights a post-landing delay and a post-landing security procedure without detailing the cause of the threat, outcomes, or injuries. Additional context from BBC notes a regional security environment including bomb threats prompting emergency protocols at Region of Murcia International Airport on a Tuesday, with mixed details about the specific aircraft and timing.