Bomb hoaxes disrupt flights across Europe for second time this week
Flights to eight countries were affected as authorities searched planes and airports. Investigators have not established who is behind the warnings.
Key points
- At least 21 aircraft and several European airports were targeted by bomb threats, according to BBC News.
- The UK Transport Secretary called the threats malicious hoaxes.
- No explosives were found during searches of the planes.
- An email signed by a group calling itself Fighters of the Male State was sent to Rome airport authorities.
- Officials have not confirmed whether the incidents are linked.
Bomb threats were directed at at least 21 aircraft and several airports across Europe on Thursday, according to BBC News. It was the second wave of such incidents within the same week. The United Kingdom has described the threats as a malicious hoax.
Countries hit by the disruption included Romania, Poland, Italy, France, Belgium, Austria, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic. No explosives were found during the searches carried out after the threats. Officials have not said whether all of the incidents are connected.
Flights diverted and escorted
An Aer Lingus service bound for Rome from Dublin was redirected to a military airfield in Normandy. Italian fighter jets escorted a Finnair flight from Helsinki to Rome. Wizz Air, LOT, Ryanair, EasyJet, Aegean Airlines, Iberia and Air Serbia also reported affected services, according to the BBC.
Several flights were met by police or bomb disposal teams on arrival. EasyJet said passengers on its flights from Newcastle and Glasgow disembarked normally in Prague. Aegean Airlines said the threats it received were unfounded, and its flights departed as planned.
Heathrow in London and Birmingham Airport both said they had received threats. Heathrow judged its warning to be not credible, while Birmingham began emergency procedures with partners. A UK government spokesperson later said the matter had been resolved.
Email claim and group named
Airport authorities in Rome said a hoax threat against two inbound flights arrived by email on Thursday. Aeroporti di Roma, which runs both of the city’s airports, confirmed these details to the BBC after Italian media first reported them.
The message was signed in the name of a group or person that described itself as Fighters of the Male State. It described a feminist regime as its target and warned of explosions that would turn the skies red. The name may refer to a Russian ultra-right group, Muzhskoi Legion, which a Moscow court banned in 2021, the BBC reported.
The BBC noted that the email, even if genuine, is unlikely to give investigators clear leads. Some incidents were claimed by a little known group, but the link between them remains unclear.
Experts weigh the risk
Philip Baum, who teaches aviation security at Coventry University, said the sector deals with bomb threats daily. He explained that diversions happen only after authorities judge a threat to be credible. He warned that repeated hoaxes could lead to complacency.
Marco Chan, a specialist in aviation at Kingston University, gave the BBC his view that the warnings were probably fake, yet should be handled as genuine. He said some experts see them as a possible element of a wider pattern of disruption. The BBC reported that two days earlier, seven European flights had been searched after similar threats.
Frequently asked questions
Were any explosives found on the flights?
No explosives were found during searches of the planes and airports, according to the BBC. Several flights were checked by police and security teams before continuing.
Which airports were affected?
Heathrow in London and Birmingham Airport both said they had received threats, and Heathrow judged its warning not credible. Flights linked to Rome, Prague, Madrid and Milan were also affected, the BBC reported.
Who sent the threats?
It is not clear who is responsible. An email signed by a group calling itself Fighters of the Male State was sent to Rome airport authorities, but the BBC said it is unlikely to identify who is behind the incidents.
Sources
This article was written with the help of AI from reports by the outlets listed above. See our Editorial Policy. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
