The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
MAPPED: How dozens of bomb threats caused flight chaos in Europe this week
Whether the "malicious hoax threats" are linked and who they came from aren't clear, but analysts have some ideas.
Fighter jets were scrambled by several European air forces this week in response to multiple hoax bomb threats targeting passenger flights from Ireland to Bulgaria, according to airlines, airports, governments, and police statements compiled by Business Insider.
A total of 35 targeted airplanes were confirmed, with some authorities citing undisclosed counts and additional incidents not yet confirmed. The week began with a Wizz Air flight from London to Sofia diverted to Budapest after a bomb threat, with the aircraft searched and subsequently cleared.
Flight threats continued across the week, including seven more on Tuesday and at least 19 on Thursday. Some flights diverted while others continued to their destinations before being searched, and no injuries or confirmed bombs were reported.
Specific interceptions included a Aer Lingus flight from Dublin diverted to a French air base in Normandy after authorities intercepted a bomb threat, and Bulgarian jet intercepts of three Ryanair flights, one of which was diverted to Plovdiv. An Italian Air Force escort accompanied a Finnair flight from Helsinki to Rome.
Madrid, Prague, and Copenhagen were among the locations involved in threat responses, with Prague receiving four flight threats and Copenhagen authorities searching two aircraft with nothing of interest found. By Friday, authorities in multiple countries were continuing to investigate.
Officials and analysts described the incidents as malicious hoaxes, with NATO noting coordinated responses and the potential for hybrid warfare considerations. IATA called for authorities to determine the origins of the threats, while some analysts suggested possible links to actors associated with Russia’s broader hybrid campaign in Europe.