At least seven flights in Europe were targeted by bomb threats on Tuesday, including planes operated by Ryanair, Scandinavian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines and Wizz Air, with one aircraft diverted and the others checked after reaching their destinations, according to airports, airlines and officials.
Two Ryanair flights to Rome Fiumicino were checked for explosives and cleared by bomb disposal experts after landing, the airport said in a statement. It said there was "an anonymous report of an alleged bomb threat" on a flight that landed around 9:40 a.m. Roughly an hour later, Ryanair Flight 9611 from Dublin was escorted by the Italian Air Force following a separate report of a suspected bomb, the airport said. It was checked by authorities on landing and no explosives were found. The airport did not immediately confirm the flight number or origin of the first flight.
The Tuesday incidents followed a bomb threat on Monday, when a Wizz Air flight from London Luton to Sofia "was diverted to Budapest following a bomb threat received during the flight," an airline spokesperson said.
In Poland, Scandinavian Airlines Flight 751 left Copenhagen around 8:30 a.m. for Warsaw and landed as expected an hour later without diversion. An airline spokesperson confirmed a threat had been made against the flight and said: "The matter is now being handled by the police in Warsaw." Thirty minutes after that landing, LOT Polish Airlines Flight 286 diverted to Warsaw-Modlin Airport, about 25 miles from its intended destination of Warsaw-Chopin. In a statement, the airline said it "was notified by airport authorities of a potential security threat" on board, adding that the aircraft taxied to a designated parking stand and no suspicious items were found in a security inspection. Passengers were then taken to Chopin Airport by coach. Modlin Airport was closed for around two hours before the threat was cleared.
In Spain, Ryanair Flight 4116 from Manchester, England, to Murcia was targeted on Tuesday morning. Francisco Lucas, the Spanish government's representative for the region, said on X that security protocols were activated due to a bomb threat on the flight. An hour and a half later, Lucas said the Civil Guard had ruled out the presence of explosives and the airport resumed normal activity.
In Bulgaria, Transport Minister Georgi Peev said two planes travelling to Sofia received bomb threats, the national news agency BTA reported. The country's border police told the agency the threats were received by email. One of the flights arrived from Dublin. Peev said the other came from Bergamo, Italy. A Wizz Air spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider that Flight 4352 from Milan Bergamo Airport "was subject to a bomb threat," adding that Bulgarian authorities alerted the airline as the flight approached its destination. "The relevant authorities carried out the necessary security checks in accordance with established security protocols and procedures, and the aircraft was subsequently cleared," the spokesperson said. "Wizz Air is cooperating fully with the authorities. The safety of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority."
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Multiple bomb threats in a single day across four countries disrupted air travel and forced one aircraft to divert, showing how quickly anonymous reports can trigger security responses at several airports at once.
- Passengers on the affected routes faced checks on arrival, a two-hour airport closure at Warsaw-Modlin and coaches to an alternative terminal, while Italian authorities scrambled fighter jets to escort one flight.
- Investigations are now with national police and border authorities, and it is not yet established whether the threats are connected.
Background
Bomb threats against commercial flights are handled under established aviation security protocols: crews and air traffic authorities are alerted, aircraft may be diverted or escorted, and police or bomb disposal teams inspect the plane after landing. Responsibility for investigating usually sits with the national police of the country where the aircraft lands. The threats reported on Tuesday were directed at flights arriving in Italy, Poland, Spain and Bulgaria from several other European countries.
Key Perspectives
- Francisco Lucas, Spanish government representative for the Murcia region: said security protocols were activated because of a bomb threat on a Ryanair flight from Manchester, and later that the Civil Guard had ruled out the presence of explosives and the airport had resumed normal activity.
- Scandinavian Airlines spokesperson: confirmed a threat was made against Flight 751 and said the matter is now being handled by the police in Warsaw.
- LOT Polish Airlines: said it was notified by airport authorities of a potential security threat on board Flight 286 from London Heathrow, that no suspicious items were found in a security inspection, and that passengers were taken by coach to Chopin Airport.
- Wizz Air spokesperson: said Flight 4352 from Milan Bergamo was subject to a bomb threat, that the aircraft was cleared after security checks, and that the airline is cooperating fully with the authorities.
- Georgi Peev, Bulgarian transport minister: said two planes travelling to Sofia received bomb threats, which border police told the national news agency BTA were received by email.
What to Watch
- Whether Polish police, Italian authorities or Bulgarian border police report any link between the threats, or say where the emails and anonymous reports originated.
- The outcome of inspections and investigations into the two Sofia-bound flights and the LOT flight diverted to Modlin.
- Whether further threats are reported against European flights in the coming days, and any response from airports or carriers on security measures.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedAt least seven European flights were targeted by bomb threats on Tuesday.All Content from Business Insider: “At least seven flights in Europe were targeted by bomb threats on Tuesday.”
- SupportedFlights operated by Ryanair, Scandinavian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines and Wizz Air were affected across Italy, Poland, Spain and Bulgaria.All Content from Business Insider: “They included two flying to Poland, two to Italy, two to Bulgaria, and one landing in Spain.”
- SupportedOne flight was diverted, while the others reached their destinations before being checked for explosives.All Content from Business Insider: “One of them was diverted, while the other airplanes reached their destinations before being checked for explosives.”
- SupportedThe airport said it received “an anonymous report of an alleged bomb threat” about a Ryanair flight that landed around 9:40 a.m.All Content from Business Insider: “The airport said there was "an anonymous report of an alleged bomb threat" on a Ryanair flight that landed around 9:40 a.m.”
- SupportedRyanair Flight 9611 from Dublin was escorted by the Italian Air Force after a separate suspected-bomb report and no explosives were found after it landed.All Content from Business Insider: “Ryanair Flight 9611 from Dublin was escorted by the Italian Air Force following a separate report of a suspected bomb, the airport said. It was also checked by authorities upon landing, and no explosives were found.”
- SupportedThe Monday Wizz Air flight from London Luton to Sofia was diverted to Budapest following a bomb threat received during the flight.All Content from Business Insider: “"was diverted to Budapest following a bomb threat received during the flight," an airline spokesperson said.”
- SupportedAn airline spokesperson said of Scandinavian Airlines Flight 751: “The matter is now being handled by the police in Warsaw.”All Content from Business Insider: “"The matter is now being handled by the police in Warsaw," they said in a statement.”
- SupportedLOT Polish Airlines said it “was notified by airport authorities of a potential security threat” on Flight 286.All Content from Business Insider: “In a statement, the airline said it "was notified by airport authorities of a potential security threat" on board Flight 286 from London Heathrow.”
- SupportedFrancisco Lucas said security protocols were activated after a bomb threat on Ryanair Flight 4116, and later said the Civil Guard ruled out explosives and the airport resumed normal activity.All Content from Business Insider: “Francisco Lucas, said on X that security protocols were activated due to a bomb threat on the flight. An hour and a half later, Lucas said the Civil Guard had ruled out the presence of explosives and the airport resumed normal activity.”
- SupportedTransport Minister Georgi Peev said two planes travelling to Sofia received bomb threats; border police told BTA the threats arrived by email.All Content from Business Insider: “Bulgarian Transport Minister Georgi Peev said two planes traveling to Sofia received bomb threats, per the national news agency BTA. The country's border police told the agency that the threats were received by email.”
- SupportedThe Wizz Air spokesperson said Flight 4352 “was subject to a bomb threat.”All Content from Business Insider: “A Wizz spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider that Flight 4352 from Milan Bergamo Airport "was subject to a bomb threat."”
- SupportedThe Wizz Air spokesperson said the aircraft was cleared after security checks and that passenger and crew safety remained the airline’s highest priority.All Content from Business Insider: “"The relevant authorities carried out the necessary security checks in accordance with established security protocols and procedures, and the aircraft was subsequently cleared," the spokesperson said. "Wizz Air is cooperating fully with the authorities. The safety of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority."”