Europe: A fresh wave of bomb threats targeting commercial flights disrupted air travel across Europe on Thursday, November 5, forcing several aircraft to divert or make unscheduled landings. Flights operated by Aer Lingus, Wizz Air, LOT Polish Airlines and Ryanair were among those affected. Authorities and airlines said the affected aircraft landed safely and passengers and crew were not reported injured. Security teams launched detailed inspections, but no explosives had been confirmed in the incidents reported so far.
One of the first reported incidents involved an Aer Lingus Airbus A320 operating from Dublin, Ireland, to Rome, Italy. Following a bomb alert, the aircraft was diverted to Évreux-Fauville Air Base in Normandy, France, around 100 kilometres west of Paris. The aircraft was carrying 151 passengers and six crew members. It landed safely, and all those on board were moved to safety. Military bomb-disposal teams were deployed to inspect the aircraft.
Flight-tracking data showed that the plane changed course as it approached Paris and circled several times before heading towards Évreux. The French Air Force also confirmed that aircraft were dispatched after the threat was reported. A Wizz Air flight travelling from Milan to Warsaw was also diverted to Vienna, Austria, following a bomb threat. The airline confirmed that the aircraft had been redirected as a precaution.
A LOT Polish Airlines flight from Warsaw to Brussels was subjected to security checks after a threat was reported. The aircraft was directed to a designated area at Brussels Airport, where authorities carried out inspections. Belgian media reported that the aircraft had been forced to make an unscheduled landing at Zaventem Airport.
Bulgaria also reported three aircraft making emergency landings following bomb threats. Two Ryanair flights, one from Copenhagen and another from Madrid, landed at Sofia Airport. A third flight from London’s Stansted Airport was diverted to Plovdiv.
Bulgarian authorities initiated security procedures at the airports. The incidents added to the growing number of flight disruptions across the continent. Separately, a Finnair flight from Helsinki to Rome received a bomb threat. The aircraft was escorted by Italian Air Force jets but landed safely at its scheduled destination. Authorities subsequently carried out security checks.
Reports also indicated that four flights bound for Prague had received threats, prompting further security measures in the Czech Republic. Thursday’s incidents mark the second major wave of bomb threats affecting European flights this week. On Tuesday, November 3, at least seven flights operated by airlines including LOT Polish Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines, Wizz Air and Ryanair were targeted.
Those threats led to aircraft diversions, emergency inspections and temporary disruption at several airports. Authorities reported that no explosive devices were found during the searches conducted in connection with the earlier incidents. The repeated alerts have raised concerns among European aviation authorities about the security of commercial air travel. However, no country or organisation has officially been identified as responsible for the latest threats. Investigations into the incidents are continuing.
