At least 15 commercial flights across Europe were targeted by bomb threats on Thursday, prompting diversions, security inspections and military escorts. The incidents involved services operated by Aer Lingus, Ryanair, Wizz Air and other carriers in several countries. An Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome was escorted by French fighters to Évreux air base, while three Ryanair flights bound for Sofia were escorted by Bulgarian aircraft; one diverted to Plovdiv.
A Wizz Air service from Milan to Warsaw was rerouted to Vienna. Other targeted aircraft, including flights to Sofia, Brussels, Bucharest and Prague, landed at or near their scheduled destinations and underwent checks. No explosives were found on the inspected aircraft, and most affected flights landed without incident.
The threats formed part of a series of alerts reported over several days. The flight count remains uncertain: reports put Thursday’s total at at least 14, more than 15 or about 20, depending on the incidents included. Authorities had not identified who was responsible or established whether the threats were connected.