Several flights across Europe received alleged bomb threats on Tuesday that ultimately proved to be hoaxes, prompting security searches, diversions, and in one instance, an escort by the Italian Air Force. The incidents involved airlines including LOT Polish Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), and Ryanair.
In Italy, a Ryanair flight from Lisbon landed at Rome's Fiumicino airport after its crew received an email reporting a bomb on board. Police bomb disposal experts conducted security checks of passengers, crew, and baggage, finding no explosives. Another Ryanair flight, arriving from Dublin to Rome, was similarly threatened via email and escorted to Fiumicino by the Italian Air Force. Ground security procedures were also carried out on this flight, with no explosives discovered.
Poland also experienced disruptions. A LOT Polish Airlines flight from London's Heathrow Airport to Warsaw's Chopin Airport was diverted to Modlin Airport following a bomb threat, causing a temporary closure of Modlin. LOT later confirmed that searches revealed nothing on the aircraft. Passengers were transported to Chopin Airport after clearing border control. Chopin Airport also initiated standard safety procedures after receiving information about a potentially dangerous item on an SAS flight arriving from Copenhagen, leading to the closure of one runway. SAS stated that the flight landed normally and that the airline was focused on passenger and crew care.
In Spain, a Ryanair plane traveling from Manchester to Murcia Airport received a bomb threat. Spanish officials confirmed that explosives were not found on the aircraft after passengers and crew underwent security checks and the plane was inspected. This flight carried 121 people, including the crew.
These hoaxes follow a similar incident last month where a flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna made an emergency landing due to a bomb threat.