A wave of bomb threats has disrupted passenger flights across Europe in recent days, forcing diversions, emergency landings and security sweeps. In each case reported so far, checks found no explosive devices.
On Tuesday, 3 November, two Ryanair flights were searched after landing at Rome Fiumicino airport. One had arrived from Lisbon, landing at 09:40 CET, and the other had arrived from Dublin, landing at 10:30 CET. The Dublin flight was escorted by the Italian Air Force until it landed. In both cases, the aircraft, luggage, passengers and crew were searched, and the alert was cleared, with no threat to the airport itself.
Also on Tuesday, a Ryanair flight from Manchester to Murcia in Spain was inspected after all 121 people on board — 114 passengers and seven crew members — left the aircraft for security checks while it was examined.
Two more flights landing in Bulgaria on Tuesday were also checked. A Ryanair flight from Dublin to Sofia landed safely with 185 passengers on board, and a Wizz Air flight from Milan/Bergamo to Sofia landed safely with 176 passengers. Bulgaria’s transport ministry told Reuters that no explosives were found on either aircraft.
In Poland, a LOT Polish Airlines flight from London made an unscheduled landing at Warsaw-Modlin airport after a bomb threat. Airport operations were suspended and later resumed around midday, while passengers and crew waited in the arrivals hall as the aircraft was checked.
An SAS flight from Copenhagen to Warsaw was also checked after landing at Warsaw-Chopin airport on Tuesday. It landed safely, passengers disembarked, and Polish authorities said the threat was not confirmed. The airport continued operating.
The day before, on Monday, 2 November, a Wizz Air flight from London to Sofia was diverted to Budapest after a bomb threat and was escorted by a Hungarian Gripen fighter jet.
No motive for the threats, and no suspect, has been identified in the reporting so far. The incidents underline how quickly a threat — even when nothing dangerous is found — can divert flights, delay passengers and trigger large security responses at airports across Europe.
Source: Reuters
