At least 15 European flights diverted after fresh wave of bomb threats

At least 15 flights across Europe were forced to make emergency landings or undergo diversions on Thursday morning following a series of bomb threats. Air services linking numerous nations, such as Italy, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Spain, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Finland, Austria, Denmark, Belgium, Portugal, Greece, and Czechia, were disrupted by these events. As of 11:00 am on Thursday, reports indicated that two flights bound for Milan had landed safely after receiving threats. No hazardous material was found in the aircraft so far, according to reports from the Times of Israel.

Specific incidents included Aer Lingus flight EI402, which departed Dublin for Rome but landed safely at Evreux airport, located 100 km west of Paris, as a security precaution. Belgian media reported that a Polish LOT airliner was forced to land at Brussels' Zaventem airport. In Bulgaria, the interior minister stated that aircraft from Copenhagen and Madrid landed in Sofia, while local media reported that a third aircraft from London landed in Plovdiv. The Guardian Business noted that the disruptions affected routes involving Ryanair and other carriers, with planes seen at Sofia airport.

Background

The latest wave of threats follows a series of hoax bomb alerts earlier in the week that prompted similar searches, diversions, and in one instance, a military escort. These recurring incidents have prompted serious concerns among European officials regarding the threat of information warfare and hybrid attacks. The timing coincides with other reported cyberattacks on supermarket fridges and blood banks in Europe, which the EU described as a deliberate attempt to disrupt the bloc's food supply. Although no state has formally assigned responsibility for the aviation threats, European authorities have previously accused both Russia and Iran of carrying out hybrid operations and sabotage. Both Moscow and Tehran have denied any involvement in such campaigns. France 24’s International Affairs Editor Philip Turle noted that the incidents occur during a period of heightened tension and scrutiny over state-sponsored disruption.

Why it matters

The repeated disruptions to air travel highlight the vulnerability of European infrastructure to coordinated hybrid threats. The incidents have caused significant travel chaos, forcing passengers onto unplanned landings and delaying schedules across the continent. The Guardian Business reported that the scale of the diversions, affecting at least 15 planes, renews questions about whether the threats are part of a coordinated effort to disrupt travel. The lack of a clear attribution, combined with the denial from Moscow and Tehran, leaves the source of the threats uncertain, though the pattern of incidents has led to increased security measures and public concern. The broader context includes other sabotage attempts, such as the cyberattacks on food supply infrastructure, suggesting a wider campaign of disruption targeting European stability.

What happens next

Investigations into the source of the bomb threats are ongoing, with no immediate announcement of arrests or specific perpetrators. European authorities are monitoring the situation as reports of new alerts continue to come in. The recurring nature of the incidents suggests that security protocols for air travel may be tightened in the coming days. No specific dates for the resolution of the investigation or the end of the threat campaign have been provided by the sources.