Four planes have landed safely after bomb threats were made across Europe, including for two flights that departed from the UK, according to reports. Polish officials said two Warsaw-bound flights were targeted, while the BBC reported that a Ryanair plane from Manchester made an emergency landing at Murcia in southern Spain after another threat and a fourth flight from Israel was forced to land in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Polish officials said they had received bomb threats involving two Warsaw-bound flights, and that both planes landed safely with no explosives found. A Scandinavian Airlines plane landed at Warsaw's Chopin airport, where a security inspection did not turn up any explosive devices. The airport closed a landing strip but was able to continue operating, a spokesperson said.
The LOT flight, which had departed from London Heathrow and was also scheduled to arrive at Chopin, was diverted to the Polish capital's other airport, Modlin. Authorities closed that airport after the alert, and the Boeing 737 MAX landed without incident. "The passengers were evacuated and the plane underwent security checks. Nothing was found," spokesperson Adam Szablowski told AFP. "The airport has been reopened and is operating normally."
In Spain, Francisco Lucas, the Spanish government's delegate in the region, said on X that no explosives were found on the Ryanair flight that landed at Murcia. The fourth flight, from Israel, was forced to land in Sofia.
The incidents came the day after a Wizz Air service from London Luton made an emergency landing in Budapest, escorted by a Hungarian fighter jet. The plane, which was due to depart from Luton at 8.15am on Monday for Sofia, was diverted after a bomb threat was received "during the flight", Wizz Air said.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Bomb threats against commercial flights force diversions, airport closures and security inspections, disrupting passengers across several countries, as happened at Warsaw's Chopin and Modlin airports.
- The threats spanned multiple countries in a single day, drawing responses from Polish authorities, Spanish officials and airlines operating from the UK, Denmark and Israel.
- No explosives have been found on any of the flights reported so far, though inspections and airport security checks followed each alert.
Background
Bomb threats against airliners are treated as credible until an inspection clears the aircraft, and the standard response is to divert or land the plane, evacuate passengers and search the aircraft and baggage. Even hoaxes can temporarily close terminals or runways and force emergency escorts by military aircraft. This story follows a day of alerts across Europe, including the diversion of a Wizz Air flight from Luton to Budapest, and the Guardian's report is based on accounts from officials, airlines and other media.
What to Watch
- Whether Polish, Spanish and Bulgarian authorities report any findings from inspections of the aircraft involved.
- Whether further threats are received against European flights in the coming days.
- Whether Modlin and Chopin airports, and the airport at Murcia, maintain normal operations after reopening.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedFour planes landed safely after bomb threats across Europe.World news | The Guardian: “Four planes have landed safely after bomb threats were made across Europe”
- SupportedTwo of the flights departed from the UK.World news | The Guardian: “including for two flights that departed from the UK”
- SupportedPolish officials said they had received bomb threats involving two Warsaw-bound flights.World news | The Guardian: “Polish officials said they had received bomb threats involving two Warsaw-bound flights”
- SupportedBoth Warsaw-bound planes landed safely and no explosives were found.World news | The Guardian: “but the planes landed safely and no explosives were found.”
- SupportedA Ryanair plane from Manchester made an emergency landing at Murcia after another threat, as the BBC reported.World news | The Guardian: “the BBC reported that a Ryanair plane from Manchester made an emergency landing at Murcia in southern Spain after another threat”
- SupportedA fourth flight from Israel was forced to land in Sofia, Bulgaria.World news | The Guardian: “and a fourth flight from Israel was forced to land in Sofia, Bulgaria.”
- SupportedBomb warnings targeted a Scandinavian Airlines flight from Copenhagen.World news | The Guardian: “The bomb warnings also targeted a Scandinavian Airlines flight from Copenhagen”
- SupportedThe LOT flight from London Heathrow was diverted to Modlin.World news | The Guardian: “a plane from London Heathrow operated by the Polish airline LOT. ... The LOT flight, which had also been scheduled to arrive at Chopin, was diverted to the Polish capital’s other airport, Modlin.”
- SupportedAdam Szablowski told AFP, “The passengers were evacuated and the plane underwent security checks. Nothing was found,”World news | The Guardian: ““The passengers were evacuated and the plane underwent security checks. Nothing was found,” spokesperson Adam Szablowski told AFP.”
- SupportedThe spokesperson said, “The airport has been reopened and is operating normally.”World news | The Guardian: ““The airport has been reopened and is operating normally.””
- SupportedThe separate incidents came the day after a Wizz Air service from London Luton made an emergency landing in Budapest, escorted by a Hungarian fighter jet.World news | The Guardian: “The separate incidents came the day after a Wizz Air service from London Luton made an emergency landing in Budapest, escorted by a Hungarian fighter jet.”
- SupportedThe Wizz Air plane was due to depart Luton for Sofia at 8.15am on Monday and was diverted after a bomb threat was received “during the flight”, Wizz Air said.World news | The Guardian: “The plane, which was due to depart from Luton at 8.15am on Monday for Sofia, was diverted after a bomb threat was received “during the flight”, Wizz Air said.”