At least 14 flights across Europe were targeted by suspected hoax bomb threats on Thursday, prompting several countries to scramble fighter jets to escort affected aircraft and divert some planes.
The incidents marked the third consecutive day of widespread bomb alerts across the continent, with budget airlines and flights operating to and from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Italy particularly affected.
Italian, French and Bulgarian air forces deployed fighter jets to respond to the threats, while three flights were diverted during the security operations.
Among the affected aircraft were a Finnair flight travelling from Helsinki to Rome, which was escorted by Italian fighter jets, and an Aer Lingus service from Dublin to Rome, which was guided by French military aircraft to a base outside Paris.
Bulgaria also deployed fighter jets to escort three aircraft that received bomb threats.
According to reports, all the affected planes landed safely, while subsequent security inspections found no explosives on board.
Low-cost carrier Ryanair was among the airlines most affected by the wave of threats, recording at least seven incidents this week.
A spokesperson for Bulgaria’s Ministry of Transport told AFP that three Ryanair flights heading to Sofia from Madrid, Copenhagen and London Stansted were targeted.
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While the aircraft from Madrid and Copenhagen landed safely in Sofia, the flight departing London Stansted was diverted to Plovdiv Airport, east of the Bulgarian capital.
Bulgaria’s Defence Ministry confirmed that fighter jets escorted all three aircraft as part of security measures to identify and monitor the planes.
The ministry explained that the missions were designed to “detect, identify and escort the aircraft.”
An Interior Ministry spokesperson subsequently confirmed that security checks were conducted on all three planes, with no explosives discovered.
The latest incidents bring the number of reported bomb hoaxes targeting European flights this week to more than 20, raising fresh concerns over aviation security and disruptions to air travel across the region.