Series of bomb threats force emergency landings of planes in several European cities

Warnings about the possibility of bombs forced passenger planes to make emergency landings across various parts of Europe on Thursday morning, in the latest series of threats targeting flights on the continent.

Irish airline Aer Lingus said in a statement that its flight EI 402, traveling from Dublin to Rome, landed safely at Evreux Airport, 100 kilometers west of Paris, after being diverted as a precaution.

Belgian media reported that the plane forced to land at Brussels’ Zaventem Airport belonged to Polish carrier LOT.

The Czech News Agency quoted a police spokesperson as saying that no explosives were found on board four planes that received bomb threats and landed in Prague.

A well-informed source said the Italian Air Force escorted a Finnair flight from Helsinki until it landed safely in Rome according to its scheduled timetable.

The interior minister, according to the PTv television station, said two flights arriving from Copenhagen and Madrid landed in Sofia.

At least seven flights and a cruise ship in Europe received bomb threats on Tuesday, causing disruptions at airports, although no explosives were found.

No group has claimed responsibility for the threats, which come at a time when European officials hold Russia and Iran responsible for what they describe as “hybrid” attacks and acts of sabotage. Moscow and Tehran deny these accusations.

Anonymous cyber intruders managed this week to shut down cooling systems in major retail stores in several European countries. Some experts said the false bomb threats could be part of a similar pattern of low-cost, deniable disruption efforts.