By Zakarya Meliani
Nov 3 (Reuters) – A string of bomb threats has disrupted passenger flights across Europe in recent days, forcing diversions, emergency landings and security sweeps, though no explosive devices have been found.
Here is a list of flights affected by bomb threats in recent days.
RYANAIR
Two Ryanair flights were searched at Rome’s Fiumicino airport following potential bomb threats on Tuesday, airport operator ADR said. A flight from Lisbon landed at 0940 CET and a flight from Dublin landed at 1030 CET, the latter escorted by the Italian Air Force until landing.
Both aircraft went through security protocols including searches and bomb sweeps of the plane, luggage, passengers and crew. ADR said the alert was cleared, there was no bomb threat to the airport itself, and other flights were not affected.
Murcia’s international airport activated on November 3 a security protocol after a bomb alert was received on a Ryanair flight from Manchester that landed at the airport, Spain’s government delegate for the Murcia region, Francisco Lucas, said on social media.
All 121 people on board, 114 passengers and seven crew, disembarked and underwent security checks while security forces inspected the aircraft to determine whether the threat was real.
A bomb threat was made against a Ryanair flight from Dublin to Sofia on November 3, Bulgaria’s transport ministry said in a statement to Reuters. The plane landed safely with 185 passengers on board, and no explosive devices were found during an inspection.
WIZZ AIR
A Wizz Air flight from Milan/Bergamo to Sofia was the target of a bomb threat on November 3, Bulgaria’s transport ministry said in a statement to Reuters. The plane landed safely with 176 passengers on board, and no explosive devices were found during an inspection.
Another Wizz Air flight from London to Sofia diverted to Budapest on November 2 after a bomb threat, Hungary’s defence minister said. A Hungarian Gripen fighter was scrambled to escort the aircraft.
LOT POLISH AIRLINE
On November 3, a LOT Polish Airlines flight from London made an unscheduled landing at Warsaw-Modlin airport after a bomb threat alert, a LOT spokesperson confirmed. Air operations at the airport were suspended and resumed around midday. The aircraft was checked by the relevant services, while passengers and crew waited in the arrivals hall for further decisions.
SAS SCANDINAVIAN AIRLINES
On November 3, a bomb threat was reported on an SAS flight from Copenhagen to Warsaw, which landed at Warsaw-Chopin airport and was checked, a Chopin airport spokesperson said. SAS said the aircraft landed safely and its passengers disembarked. Polish authorities said the threat was not confirmed. The airport continued operations.
AUSTRIAN AIRLINES
Earlier, on October 18, an Austrian Airlines flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna diverted to Sofia after a reported bomb threat while over Romania, Bulgaria’s transport ministry said.
A Bulgarian air force MiG-29 escorted the Airbus A320, which landed about 30 minutes after the alert was raised, and passengers were evacuated. Austrian Airlines confirmed a threat was made and said 51 passengers and six crew were on board. No injuries were reported.
The airline said the security search found no threat, and the flight later continued to Vienna with all its passengers.
(Reporting by Zakarya Meliani, editing by Matt Scuffham)
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