Bomb threats on board 7 flights across Europe cause disruptions

At least seven flights in Europe received bomb threats on Tuesday, causing disruptions at airports – though no explosive devices were found.

The threats targeted at least two flights bound for Warsaw, two for Sofia, two for Rome, and one for Murcia Airport in Spain.

Another flight headed to Sofia had received a similar threat the previous day, and one of the airports in Warsaw was briefly closed.

According to Reuters, the Italian Air Force escorted one of the flights bound for Rome.

Authorities diverted a LOT Polish Airlines flight, arriving from London and scheduled to land at Warsaw’s Chopin Airport, to the nearby Modlin Airport, which was temporarily closed, then reopened following an inspection of the aircraft, during which no suspicious devices were discovered.

Hungarian Defense Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi wrote on Facebook that a Wizz Air flight traveling from London to Sofia was diverted to Budapest Airport following a bomb threat.

Hoaxes reported

In the city of Murcia in southeastern Spain, authorities cordoned off parts of the airport on Tuesday after receiving a report of a bomb on board a Ryanair flight arriving from Manchester.

Officials later confirmed that the report was a hoax.

The airport resumed normal operations after it was determined that there were no explosives on the aircraft.

Ryanair declined to provide an immediate comment on the incident.

Two other Ryanair flights, arriving from Lisbon and Dublin, were also subjected to inspections at Fiumicino Airport in Rome, following bomb threats, according to a source from ADR, the airport’s operator.

The flight arriving from Dublin was escorted by Italian Air Force jets until it landed. The source noted that the alert level was raised, though the airport continued to operate as usual, with no impact on other flights.

No group has claimed responsibility for the incident, and officials have not pointed the finger at any specific party.