Bomb threats force diversions and military escorts for multiple European flights

Multiple flights in Europe were disrupted on Thursday after bomb threats prompted emergency landings, security searches and, in several cases, military escorts. Authorities said inspections of the aircraft revealed no hazardous or suspicious items.

A Dublin-Rome Aer Lingus flight was diverted to the French military base at Evreux in Normandy, where all 151 passengers and six crew members were safe. French bomb-disposal teams and dogs examined the plane, and an investigation was opened by French aviation security officials.

Italian air-force fighter jets escorted a Finnair flight from Helsinki to Rome after an email threat was received. The aircraft landed at Leonardo da Vinci Airport without finding any explosives, according to police bomb-disposal experts who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Czech police reported that four planes landing in Prague after bomb threats were searched and found no threats. LOT Polish Airlines said a Warsaw-Brussels flight arrived safely after checks revealed nothing hazardous. A Wizz Air flight from Milan to Bucharest was also cleared after a bomb-threat investigation.

Three Ryanair flights bound for Sofia were forced to make emergency landings after bomb threats. Two landed at Sofia’s Vasil Levski Airport, while a third from London-Stansted diverted to Plovdiv Airport; all were escorted by fighter jets.

Earlier in the week, similar hoax threats affected flights operated by LOT, Scandinavian Airlines, Wizz Air and Ryanair, leading to additional diversions and security procedures. No injuries were reported in any of the incidents.