Bomb Threats Disrupt Air Traffic in Europe, Scramble Fighter Jets

The wave of threats regarding bombs on board civilian aircraft in Europe widened on Friday, encompassing new flights in several countries, amid heightened security measures, flight diversions, and the scrambling of military fighter jets to escort some of them. Authorities continue to investigate to identify those behind these reports, after it became clear that several of them were false.

Prague Airport was among the most significantly affected sites by the new threats, announcing that it had received alerts about explosives on board at least eight flights arriving in or departing from the Czech capital, in the latest development in a series of reports that have disrupted European air navigation over the past few days.

A spokesperson for the airport clarified that the alerts involved flights arriving from Denmark, Spain, and the UK, as well as others heading to the Netherlands, Cyprus, Romania, Italy, and the UK. A Wizz Air flight originally bound for Rome from Prague was diverted to Venice.

Czech authorities confirmed that departures resumed after flights were inspected, with no explosives found.

In France, the Prime Minister’s office announced the receipt of four new bomb threats against aircraft flying over French airspace, confirming that all planes landed safely. Bomb disposal teams began inspection operations, while investigations were underway to determine the source of the threats targeting several European countries.

Security measures extended to Bulgaria, where the Ministry of Transport announced that two flights arriving from London and Brussels landed at an airport in the capital, Sofia, following bomb threats.

In this context, the Hungarian Minister of Defense stated that military fighter jets escorted two flights departing from Prague to Cyprus and Bucharest, following similar reports, in addition to escorting an Airbus A321 flight traveling from Brussels to Sofia.

In Portugal, police announced they had received a bomb threat regarding a Ryanair flight scheduled to depart from Lisbon to Rome on Friday morning, before it was determined that the report was false.

In Denmark, police reinforced their presence at Copenhagen Airport after receiving threats related to air traffic, confirming that their initial assessment showed no risk to passengers or others, either at the time the threats were issued or beforehand.

These developments come a day after widespread disruptions in European air traffic. The Associated Press reported that approximately 20 commercial flights were subjected to false bomb threats on Thursday, for the third consecutive day, prompting France, Italy, and Bulgaria to send fighter jets to escort passenger planes and divert three flights. All aircraft landed safely, and no explosives were found.

Among the most affected flights was an Aer Lingus plane traveling from Dublin to Rome, which was diverted to the Ivry Air Base in France. Bulgarian fighter jets escorted three Ryanair flights arriving in Sofia from Madrid, Copenhagen, and London, all of which were inspected after landing without finding any explosives.

As investigations continue, the Associated Press revealed it had obtained emails sent to airports in Rome and Sofia, containing anti-women phrases and claims by senders that they were “male state fighters.” No group has claimed responsibility for the wave of threats, and authorities have been unable to identify those responsible.

The Financial Times quoted intelligence officials as saying that the reports bear the hallmarks of intimidation campaigns linked to Russia’s hybrid warfare, but European Transport Commissioner Adina-Ioana Vălean stressed that it is too early to conclude that there is a link between these incidents, as investigations continue to uncover the circumstances surrounding them.