European airlines divert flights after new wave of bomb threats

Aer Lingus flight EI401 diverted to a French military base on Thursday after receiving a bomb threat during a journey from Dublin to Rome. The aircraft carried 151 passengers and six crew members. French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s office confirmed that all individuals aboard were moved to a secure area while a bomb squad inspected the plane at the Évreux-Fauville Air and Space Force base.

Security teams in Italy responded to a Finnair jet arriving from Helsinki. Air force jets escorted the plane to Rome’s Fiumicino Airport following anonymous reports of a suspected device. A spokesperson for the airport authority stated that police bomb disposal specialists initiated security procedures and that checks were still ongoing. Finnair confirmed the threat but noted the aircraft landed normally. The airline also reported a separate threat involving a flight from Helsinki to Vienna, which also completed its landing without incident.

Czech police announced they received threats alleging that improvised explosive devices were placed on four aircraft heading to Prague. In Bulgaria, government ministers told Reuters that bomb threats forced three aircraft to make emergency landings. Belgian media reported that a LOT aircraft was compelled to land at Brussels’ Zaventem airport. These events extend a series of disruptions that have caused diversions and emergency landings throughout the week.

The alerts have affected operations at some of Europe’s busiest airports. Authorities in several countries said that searches connected to earlier incidents this week found no explosive devices. A brief closure of an airport in Poland was also linked to the ongoing series of threats. No claims of responsibility have emerged, and authorities have not identified the source of the alerts.

The security concerns extended to maritime traffic on Tuesday. Greek authorities launched an operation at the port of Syros after an unidentified person claimed an explosive device was attached to the hull of the Crown Iris. The Panama-flagged cruise ship was scheduled to sail to Haifa in Israel. The incident added to the week of disruptions that have impacted passenger flights across the continent.

Aer Lingus, Finnair, and LOT all confirmed the specific threats affecting their operations on Thursday. The disruptions have forced changes to flight paths and increased security presence at major hubs. Despite the volume of alerts, no explosives have been discovered to date. The pattern of incidents has continued for several days, affecting multiple carriers and destinations within Europe.