Seven flights across Europe checked after suspected bomb threats

Seven passenger planes in several European countries were inspected on Tuesday following suspected bomb threats. Two of the flights departed from the United Kingdom. Searches in Italy, Poland, Spain and Bulgaria found no explosives. Officially there is no link between the incidents, but authorities in various countries will co-operate to determine whether it was a co-ordinated attack aimed at disrupting air traffic.

Italy and Spain

Two flights of the budget airline Ryanair, from Dublin and Lisbon, were searched after landing at Rome's Fiumicino airport following anonymous tips. The Dublin flight was escorted by the Italian Air Force until landing. Checks of passengers, luggage and the aircraft were negative, and the alert was cleared.

In southern Spain, a Ryanair flight from Manchester landed in Murcia and was also found to be clear. Passenger Sarah said nothing was announced during the flight; after landing the plane sat on the runway for about 30 minutes before fire engines and a bomb squad arrived and passengers were evacuated, leaving their belongings behind.

Poland and Bulgaria

Two flights heading to Warsaw were affected. The one from London Heathrow was diverted to the smaller Modlin airport, briefly closing it, while a Scandinavian Airlines flight from Copenhagen landed at Warsaw-Chopin as planned.

Bulgarian Transport Minister Georgi Peev said two planes bound for Sofia, from Bergamo and Dublin, were targeted. They were not diverted and no explosives were found. Border police said they received an email at about 10:35 local time.

Context

The UK government called the incidents "malicious hoax threats". Aviation security expert Paul Mason said such threats are infrequent and suggested a deliberate act. A day earlier, a Wizz Air flight from London Luton made an emergency landing in Budapest, escorted by a Hungarian fighter jet; nothing was found there either.