LONDON: European flights diverted because of bomb threats, affecting at least seven passenger planes on Tuesday after malicious hoaxes targeted multiple airlines across the continent.
The hoaxes hit flights from Ryanair, Wizz Air, LOT Polish Airlines, and Scandinavian Airlines. Every aircraft landed safely without injury. Emergency crews searched each plane and found no explosive devices.
The alerts began when a LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 737 Max left London Heathrow for Warsaw. Police diverted the plane to Warsaw-Modlin Airport. Authorities temporarily closed the facility while officers evacuated the passengers and checked the cabin.
Italian fighter jets escorted a Ryanair flight from Dublin into Rome’s Fiumicino airport following a threat. Security staff also searched a second Ryanair aircraft arriving from Lisbon.
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In Bulgaria, transport officials confirmed that threats targeted a Wizz Air flight from Bergamo and a Ryanair flight from Dublin. Both planes landed safely in Sofia with about 180 passengers each.
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A UK government spokesperson called the incidents malicious hoaxes. Coventry University aviation expert Philip Baum noted that authorities treated these specific threats as credible alerts.
(With input from Reuters and AFP)
