Bomb threats cause temporary disruptions to multiple European flights and a cruise ship
A series of bomb threats targeted at least seven flights and a cruise ship led to inspections and diversions across Europe, but no explosives were found.
A wave of bomb threats on Tuesday affected several passenger flights and an Israel-bound cruise ship in Europe. Authorities conducted emergency searches, temporarily closed a runway in Warsaw and escorted a Ryanair aircraft into Rome, but all aircraft landed safely and no explosive devices were discovered.
Airlines involved included Ryanair, Wizz Air, Scandinavian Airlines and Poland's LOT. Ryanair faced the most incidents, with four of its flights targeted. In Poland, a Scandinavian Airlines flight from Copenhagen landed at Warsaw Chopin Airport while a LOT flight from London was diverted to Warsaw Modlin; both planes were inspected and cleared. "The passengers disembarked, the plane landed normally; it was not an emergency landing," airline spokesperson Alexandra Lindgren Kaoukji told PAP.
In Italy, two Eurofighter jets escorted a Ryanair flight from Dublin into Rome's Fiumicino Airport, and another Ryanair flight from Lisbon underwent anti-bomb procedures before the alert was lifted. Spain's airport operator Aena activated an emergency protocol for a Ryanair flight from Manchester that landed in Murcia without incident.
Bulgaria inspected a Wizz Air flight from Bergamo and a Ryanair flight from Dublin after they arrived in Sofia; no explosives were found. Earlier, a Wizz Air flight from London to Sofia was diverted to Budapest after a mid-air threat, prompting Hungarian fighter jets to escort the aircraft.
The United Kingdom's Metropolitan Police reported threats against four aircraft scheduled for Heathrow and an additional warning for a flight at Manchester Airport. After checks, police said no security issues were identified.
A Panama-flagged cruise ship, the Crown Iris, was evacuated off the Greek island of Syros following a bomb threat. The vessel, carrying about 1,500 passengers and crew and bound for Haifa, Israel, was later cleared to resume its voyage.
No group claimed responsibility for the threats. Aviation risk analyst Rhys Jones said the volume of incidents was unusual and suggested the aim was general disruption rather than targeting a specific airline or route.