Multiple European flights searched after wave of suspected bomb threats
Seven passenger aircraft operating across Europe, including two that took off from the UK, have undergone security checks following a series of suspected bomb threats.
Two Ryanair flights, one from Dublin and the other from Lisbon, were searched after arriving in Rome following anonymous warnings. However, no explosives were discovered, sources at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport told the BBC.
The aircraft arriving from Dublin was escorted by the Italian Air Force before landing. Security checks were also carried out on planes in Poland, Spain and Bulgaria.
Although authorities have not established any connection between the incidents, officials from the affected countries are expected to work together to determine whether the threats were part of a coordinated attempt to disrupt European airspace.
The UK government described the incidents as “malicious hoax threats”, saying the country had one of the world’s strongest aviation security systems and established procedures for responding to genuine threats and false alarms.
Aviation security specialist Paul Mason said bomb threats involving passenger aircraft were relatively uncommon, making the latest developments unusual.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, he said the threats appeared to have been communicated in a credible way and targeted several airlines. He suggested this could indicate a deliberate attempt by a single individual or group rather than unrelated incidents.
Mason explained that flight crews and ground personnel follow several procedures to establish whether a threat is credible. Depending on the level of risk, an aircraft could be diverted to another airport. In some situations, the crew may not be informed of the full details of the threat being investigated on the ground.
In Rome, sources at Fiumicino Airport said police bomb disposal teams carried out routine security procedures to protect passengers and crew.
Checks on the aircraft, passengers and luggage found no explosives, and the security alert was subsequently lifted.
A Ryanair flight from Manchester that landed in Murcia, southern Spain, was also searched, with Spanish authorities confirming that no explosives were found.
One passenger, identified only as Sarah, said she had not been informed about the suspected bomb threat during the flight.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, she said the aircraft stopped unexpectedly after landing and remained on the runway for about 30 minutes.
She said fire engines, police officers and a bomb disposal team later arrived, after which passengers were instructed to leave the aircraft.
According to Sarah, emergency vehicles surrounded the plane almost immediately after it came to a stop. Passengers were escorted away by police and had to leave their belongings behind.
She said they were only informed afterwards that the aircraft had been targeted by a bomb threat.
Two other flights travelling to Warsaw, Poland, were also affected, including one departing from London Heathrow.
The Heathrow flight, which was initially scheduled to land at Warsaw Chopin Airport, was diverted to the smaller Modlin Airport, leading to a temporary closure of the facility.
However, a Scandinavian Airlines flight travelling from Copenhagen to Warsaw-Chopin landed as scheduled.
In Bulgaria, Transport Minister Georgi Peev later confirmed that two aircraft heading to the capital, Sofia, had also received bomb threats.
He told the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) that the affected flights had originated from Bergamo in northern Italy and Dublin, Ireland.
Both aircraft were allowed to land in Sofia, where security inspections found no explosives, according to Peev.
Bulgaria’s border police said they received an email at about 10:35 local time (08:35 GMT) warning of an improvised explosive device aboard a flight arriving from Bergamo.
Authorities immediately activated standard emergency procedures and established an operational headquarters involving representatives of several institutions.
The same email also contained a similar threat against an aircraft arriving from Dublin, the border police added.
The latest incidents occurred a day after a Wizz Air flight from London Luton made an emergency landing in Budapest after receiving a bomb threat. The aircraft was escorted by a Hungarian fighter jet, but subsequent security checks found no explosives.
Meanwhile, BBC Verify consulted aviation safety specialists to explain the procedures followed when a bomb threat is reported on a passenger aircraft.
Marco Chan, a former pilot with Cathay Pacific Airways and Hong Kong Airlines who now lectures in aviation operations at Kingston University, said every bomb threat must be treated as genuine until investigations establish otherwise, even though most eventually prove to be hoaxes.
He explained that flight crews discreetly inspect areas such as toilets, galleys and storage compartments. Crew members are advised not to handle suspicious objects unless they must be moved to a designated area of the aircraft considered to pose the least risk in the event of an explosion.
Former airline pilot and aviation safety commentator Terry Tozer said captains must consider several factors when deciding how to respond to a threat.
These include the facilities available at a potential diversion airport and whether the aircraft can continue its journey if the warning turns out to be false.
Chan added that once an aircraft lands, it is usually directed to an isolated parking area before passengers are evacuated and police and bomb disposal specialists conduct a thorough search.
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