Multiple European flights diverted after suspected bomb threats

At least eleven European passenger planes were diverted or forced to land on Thursday after a wave of suspected bomb threats. An Aer Lingus Airbus A320 operating from Dublin to Rome was redirected to Evreux airbase in France, where it landed safely, the airline said. The diversion followed an in-flight emergency declaration and a temporary closure of Rome’s Fiumicino Airport.

Three aircraft were later directed to Bulgarian airports after threats were reported, with two flights from Copenhagen and Madrid landing in Sofia and a third from London landing in Plovdiv, according to local ministers. A LOT flight from Warsaw also landed at Brussels Airport following a suspicious report, though Belgian airport officials said no extra security measures were required.

Finnair reported that one Helsinki-Rome flight was escorted to its scheduled landing by the Italian air force, while another Helsinki-Vienna flight operated by Jettime landed normally after receiving a threat. Czech police said four flights bound for Prague received bomb threats but assessed the credibility as low, adding that security measures were activated and pyrotechnic inspections would follow.

The incidents come after a similar spate of threats on Tuesday that affected seven flights and a cruise ship across Europe. No devices have been found, and no country has claimed responsibility. Russian and Iranian officials have denied involvement in what European officials have described as hybrid attacks.