European flights diverted over bomb threats

Several flights across Europe were diverted on Thursday after receiving bomb threats, triggering fresh security alerts at airports in multiple countries for the second time in less than a week.

Authorities in the Czech Republic, Italy, France and Bulgaria responded to the incidents by arranging precautionary landings and security inspections. No explosives were found, and officials confirmed that passengers and airport staff were safe.

A Finnair flight travelling from Helsinki to Rome was escorted by two Italian Air Force fighter jets to Rome Fiumicino Airport after a bomb threat was reported. Italian police carried out security checks following the aircraft’s arrival.

An Aer Lingus flight travelling from Dublin to Rome was also diverted to Normandy in France as a precaution.

In the Czech Republic, police said four aircraft were being redirected to Prague’s Václav Havel Airport following a threat involving possible improvised explosive devices. Authorities assessed the threat as low but activated security measures and arranged inspections of the aircraft.

Bulgarian media also reported that three aircraft made emergency landings following similar threats. Two flights, arriving from Copenhagen and Madrid, landed safely in Sofia, while another aircraft travelling from London landed in Plovdiv.

Meanwhile, Polish airline LOT received a suspicious report concerning a plane that had departed from Warsaw. The aircraft later landed safely in Brussels, according to Belgian media reports.

Czech police subsequently confirmed that inspections had been completed and no bombs were discovered. Rome Airport also announced that its security operation had ended without finding any explosives.

The latest incidents came just two days after at least seven flights across Europe received similar threats. No group or individual claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s alerts, and searches at the time also failed to uncover any explosive devices.

The repeated threats have raised fresh security concerns for European aviation authorities, although officials have not established whether the incidents are connected.