The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
Wave of bomb threats against European airliners triggers diversions and tarmac searches
No explosives have been found, and it is not clear who or what is behind the threats that have disrupted Europe’s airspace and some of its busiest airports.
A wave of bomb threats against passenger airliners disrupted European air travel on Thursday, prompting emergency landings and security sweeps at airports and on runways. No explosives were reported as found in the immediate aftermath.
Threats were reported against at least 14 airliners, with disruptions spanning multiple countries and airports, though authorities have not established a clear link among the incidents.
Aer Lingus Flight EI402 from Dublin to Rome diverted to a French air force base near Paris, where all passengers and crew were evacuated while a bomb squad inspected the aircraft. Bomb disposal teams later found nothing suspicious.
Finnair flights were affected after anonymous reports of threats led to escorts by Italian air force jets to Rome’s Fiumicino Airport and a subsequent check that found no explosives; a separate Finnair flight to Vienna also turned out to be baseless upon landing.
Italian authorities, along with security officials in Prague, Copenhagen, and Warsaw, conducted on-ground searches with sniffer dogs and military presence as part of broader precautionary operations following the threats.