Seven commercial flights across Europe triggered security alerts on Tuesday following reports of bomb threats, necessitating the activation of safety devices at their destination airports. Despite the high-stakes situation, all aircraft landed without incident, and subsequent inspections revealed no explosives on board any of the seven planes.
Two flights were heading to Warsaw, Poland. One originated from London and was operated by LOT Polish Airlines; it was diverted to Modlin Airport, located 36 kilometers from the capital, while the other arrived at Warsaw Chopin Airport from Copenhagen via SAS. Security services inspected both aircraft without finding any trace of explosives. Modlin Airport temporarily suspended operations but resumed them less than two hours after receiving the alert regarding the London flight. Meanwhile, Chopin Airport maintained its activity, though one runway remained closed during the intervention.
In Spain, a Ryanair flight traveling from Manchester to the International Airport of the Region of Murcia in southeastern Spain also received a bomb threat. The aircraft landed at 10:50, prompting the formation of a crisis committee and the deployment of a comprehensive security device involving emergency services, National Police agents, and Tedax explosives disposal specialists. Government delegate Francisco Lucas confirmed that the inspection yielded no explosives, leading to the dismissal of the threat. All 114 passengers and seven crew members disembarked and are currently undergoing security checks by the National Police.
Two additional flights bound for Rome were also affected. Both operated by Ryanair, they departed from Lisbon and Dublin respectively. The flight from Dublin was escorted by the Italian Air Force until its landing at Rome Fiumicino Airport. Authorities inspected the passengers, luggage, and aircraft without detecting any explosives, according to reports from the BBC.
In Bulgaria, two aircraft reported bomb threats upon arrival in Sofia. One was a Wizz Air flight from Bergamo carrying 176 passengers, while the other was a Ryanair flight from Dublin with 185 passengers on board. The Bulgarian Ministry of Transport confirmed that both flights landed safely and were inspected without finding explosives. Initial reports had incorrectly suggested the incidents involved only one aircraft allegedly departing from Tel Aviv.
Lyubomir Nikolov, the Chief Secretary of the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior, stated to public radio BNR that there is currently no information suggesting these events constitute a terrorist attempt. He noted that security measures have been reinforced and revealed that bomb threats were also received at various institutions in several Bulgarian cities on Tuesday, including schools, courts, and municipal offices.
These incidents in Sofia follow a similar event the previous day, when a Wizz Air Airbus A321 flying from London to Sofia was diverted to Budapest, Hungary, after receiving an in-flight bomb threat. The aircraft was escorted by a Hungarian Gripen fighter jet and was able to resume its journey to Sofia after authorities inspected it and found no explosives.
Sources: El País Portada.