The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
Breaking news. - Bomb alerts reported on European flights in second incident this week
The incidents come after some 10 European flights were targeted by bomb threats on Tuesday, forcing the brief closure of a Warsaw airport and the scrambling of air force planes in Rome. #EuropeNews
Breaking news. - Bomb alerts reported on European flights in second incident this week
At least 12 European flights were targeted by bomb threats on Thursday, with several planes escorted by fighter jets and some flights diverted. Authorities and airlines described it as part of a pattern of mass bomb alerts this week, with a focus on low-cost carriers on European routes.
One Dublin to Rome airliner was rerouted to France and escorted by military aircraft after a suspected threat. French authorities and the prime minister’s office confirmed military jets were dispatched and that the aircraft landed safely in Évreux, with passengers and crew brought to safety and bomb disposal teams on site.
The diverted aircraft is identified by flight tracking as belonging to Aer Lingus, Ireland’s flag carrier. Italian media reported bomb alerts on two flights to Rome and from Milan, while a Helsinki-to-Rome flight landed safely under Italian escort.
A Finnair spokesperson confirmed a bomb threat against a Helsinki-to-Vienna flight operated by Jettime; the aircraft landed in Vienna without incident. Czech authorities noted threats affecting four flights bound for Prague and said airport authorities were preparing for landings. Bulgaria reported threats against three Ryanair flights bound for Sofia, with two planes reaching Sofia from Copenhagen and Madrid, and a third diverted from London to Plovdiv.
This incident follows news earlier in the week of mass bomb threats impacting several European flights, including an event that prompted a temporary closure of Warsaw’s airport and air force activity in Rome. UK officials described those threats as malicious hoax threats.