European flights disrupted by third wave of bomb threats in a week

A third wave of bomb threats hit passenger flights across Europe on Friday, following similar hoaxes on Tuesday and Thursday. The threats forced unplanned landings, diversions and fighter-jet escorts, but no explosive devices were discovered and all aircraft landed safely.

Danish police are investigating threats aimed at Copenhagen airport, while Czech police recorded threats to four inbound and five outbound flights in Prague. An Italian airport source said a Wizz Air flight from Prague to Rome was diverted to Venice and landed without incident. The French prime minister's office reported four new threats to aircraft over French territory, all of which landed safely. A Ryanair flight from Rome to Lisbon was also subject to a bomb alert that triggered a security operation on landing, according to CNN Portugal.

Security experts described the incidents as having the hallmarks of a coordinated "hybrid attack," though they noted the possibility of copycat actions. No country has claimed responsibility, but officials have linked the campaign to Europe's support for Ukraine, suggesting it could be part of a broader pattern of disruptive activities.

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares told national broadcaster TVE that the similarity of the incidents makes it unlikely to be a coincidence.

"The most reasonable assumption is that we are facing an attempt at hybrid aggression and a form of psychological warfare," he said, adding that Europe must be prepared for further challenges.

An airport source in Italy said some of the threats claimed to be from "fighters of the Male State," but Reuters could not verify the source of the emails. Russian blogger Vladislav Pozdnyakov, who founded the now-banned anti-feminist movement Male State, said the group no longer exists and was not involved.