Bomb threats disrupt European flights and a cruise ship, causing diversions and searches

Consensus Summary

A wave of bomb threats across Europe on Tuesday disrupted at least seven flights and a cruise ship, forcing emergency landings, diversions, and airport closures, though no explosives were found. The most severe incidents involved three planes in Bulgaria—two from Copenhagen and Madrid landing in Sofia, and one from London diverted to Plovdiv—while an Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome was rerouted to Évreux, France, after declaring an in-flight emergency. Italian authorities also scrambled jets to escort a Finnair flight from Helsinki to Rome, and a Wizz Air flight from Milan to Warsaw was diverted to Vienna. The Guardian reported that threats targeted flights as early as 9:55 AM, with multiple airlines, including Ryanair, LOT Polish Airlines, and SAS, affected by hoaxes that grounded airports temporarily.

The bomb threats followed a pattern of disruptions over the past week, with four of eight recent incidents involving flights to or from Italy, including routes from Dublin, Lisbon, and Milan Bergamo. Earlier this week, seven planes were searched or diverted after similar alerts, and a Wizz Air flight from London to Sofia had been diverted to Budapest the day before Tuesday’s events. The Guardian noted that Czech police received threats against four planes heading to Prague, though they assessed the risks as low. Meanwhile, a cruise ship in Greece was searched after a threat, and Murcia airport in Spain was partially cordoned off following a Ryanair flight alert. These incidents align with broader concerns about hybrid attacks, as European officials have previously blamed Russia and Iran for such disruptions.

Key figures in the response included French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, who confirmed the Aer Lingus plane’s safe landing and the deployment of a bomb squad, while the Italian Air Force played a central role in escorting flights. The Guardian cited Flightradar24 tracking data showing no departures from Rome Fiumicino Airport for 30 minutes, and Bulgarian authorities reported threats against flights from Milan/Bergamo and Dublin to Sofia, with passenger counts of 176 and 186, respectively. ABC highlighted the involvement of Finnair’s Jettime subsidiary in a threatened flight to Vienna, while 7NEWS emphasized the brief shutdown of Warsaw’s Chopin Airport and the search of a cruise ship by explosives detection teams. No airline or group claimed responsibility, leaving the motives unclear.

Discrepancies in reporting emerged over the timing and scale of the incidents. While ABC and the Guardian focused on Thursday’s events, including the Aer Lingus diversion, 7NEWS centered on Tuesday’s threats, noting seven flights and a cruise ship affected that day alone. The Guardian provided specific times for each diverted flight, whereas ABC and 7NEWS offered broader overviews. Additionally, the Guardian mentioned Czech police receiving threats against Prague-bound flights, a detail absent from the other sources. These differences reflect varying emphases on the timeline and geographic spread of the disruptions, though all outlets agreed on the lack of discovered devices and the widespread nature of the hoaxes.

As of the latest reports, authorities have not identified a perpetrator, and the threats remain unresolved. The Guardian suggested the incidents could be part of a broader pattern of low-cost disruptions, citing hacking attacks on supermarket fridges in Europe. While no country has publicly attributed blame, experts like Eric Schouten from Dyami Aviation Security Group have linked such tactics to potential state actors seeking to destabilize operations. With no immediate resolution in sight, European aviation officials are likely to maintain heightened security measures in the coming days, though the immediate focus remains on ensuring passenger safety and restoring normal operations.