Seven planes across Europe searched or diverted after ‘malicious hoax’ bomb threats

The threats affected flights from the UK, Poland, Italy, Spain, and Bulgaria, with authorities confirming all planes landed safely and no explosives were discovered. Two UK departures and several Ryanair flights were among those targeted in what the UK government described as coordinated 'malicious hoaxes'.

Polish airports affected

One of Warsaw's two main airports was briefly closed after receiving a diverted plane. Polish officials confirmed bomb threats involving two flights coming into the capital. A LOT flight from Heathrow was diverted to Modlin airport, where it landed without incident after security checks.

Multiple countries respond

In Italy, two Ryanair flights were searched at Rome's Fiumicino airport after potential bomb threats. The first flight from Lisbon was followed by a second from Dublin that was escorted by Italian air force fighter jets until landing. In Spain, a Ryanair plane from Manchester was met by emergency vehicles in Murcia after another threat.

Previous day's incident

The series of threats began the day after a Wizz Air flight from London Luton to Sofia made an emergency landing in Budapest, escorted by a Hungarian fighter jet after receiving a bomb threat during the flight. Bulgaria's transport ministry confirmed threats against a Wizz Air flight from Bergamo and a Ryanair flight from Dublin to Sofia, both carrying about 180 passengers.

Standard response

A UK government spokesperson emphasized the country's robust aviation security systems, stating they have well-tested processes for dealing with potential and malicious hoax threats. Airlines typically follow regulated procedures to assess and manage bomb threats, though virtually all such reports turn out to be false.