Fresh Bomb Threats Disrupt Over 25 Passenger Flights Across Europe
At least 25 flights were affected as fighter jets escorted some planes and officials warned about hybrid attacks.
ROME/BRUSSELS/EVREUX – (Special Correspondent/Web Desk) – Fake bomb threats hit flights across Europe on Thursday morning. It was the second time this week that airlines faced such a scare.
At least 25 flights were affected. Some planes landed at unplanned airports, and a few were escorted by fighter jets.
The threats reached airlines from Ireland to Bulgaria. No devices were found on any plane.
In Bulgaria, the air force sent fighter jets to guide three passenger planes to the ground. A London flight to Sofia was sent to Plovdiv, while two Ryanair flights landed in Sofia as planned.
Spain received three emailed threats in less than 20 minutes. They named two Air Europa flights to Paris and four Iberia flights from Rome and Milan. Some planes were stopped, and passengers got off while teams checked the aircraft.
In the Czech Republic, four flights landed safely in Prague. Police said the threats looked low in risk.
An Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome landed at Evreux airport near Paris. In Denmark, a military bomb squad searched two planes at Copenhagen airport and found nothing.
No country has named who sent the threats. But several European officials have accused Russia of sabotage and “hybrid attacks” in recent months. These attacks are cheap and easy to deny, and they rarely lead to armed conflict. Russia denies the claims.
Aviation security expert Eric Schouten said most of the affected countries back Ukraine. He said officials must consider hybrid warfare, where a country attacks on many fronts at once.
Another expert, Eliran Almog, said the threats may also test how airlines and authorities respond. He pointed out that cyberattacks on supermarket fridges across Europe are happening at the same time.
Earlier this week, hackers shut down fridges in supermarkets in several countries. French blood banks were also affected.
On Tuesday, at least seven flights and a cruise ship got similar threats. Experts say such events can cost money and shake public trust.
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