Bomb threat forces Austrian Airlines flight from Israel to land in Sofia
An Austrian Airlines plane flying from Tel Aviv to Vienna on Sunday night made an emergency landing in Sofia, Bulgaria, after a reported bomb threat. Passengers were evacuated and no injuries were reported.
An Austrian Airlines flight from Israel to Austria was diverted to Bulgaria on Sunday night following a reported bomb threat. The Airbus A320, travelling from Tel Aviv to Vienna, made an emergency landing in the Bulgarian capital Sofia, where passengers were evacuated, according to the Bulgarian transport ministry.
The Bulgarian air force sent up a MiG-29 fighter jet to escort the airliner. The ministry said nobody was injured and an investigation has been opened.
What is known about the flight
Bulgarian and Israeli media reported that a bomb threat had indeed been made. Austrian Airlines confirmed a threat had been received but gave no further details. A spokesperson told the AFP news agency that 51 passengers and six crew members were on board.
Flight tracking data showed that Austrian Airlines flight 82 left Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv on Sunday evening and landed at Vasil Levski airport in Sofia three hours later. The aircraft was over Romania when it was diverted. Authorities searched the plane about 30 minutes after the alert was first raised.
Other recent incidents
The episode follows an incident last month in which a pilot tried to hijack a Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv by attacking the captain. The crew and passengers overpowered him, and the plane landed safely in Saudi Arabia.
Last week, Croatia and Germany both scrambled fighter jets after a commercial flight from the Greek island of Corfu to the German city of Nuremberg accidentally sent out a hijacking alert.
The BBC has asked Lufthansa, the owner of Austrian Airlines, for comment.
