Officials across Europe reported a fresh slew of bomb threats against multiple flights on Friday, following a string of hoaxes that have caused flight diversions throughout the week. Two broadcasters also received security threats, marking an expansion of the incidents beyond the aviation sector. While no suspicious items were found and no one was injured, the threats have raised concern as they come while Europe digests other recent disruptions, including attacks on supermarket refrigeration systems and drone incursions.
According to the European air traffic authority, Eurocontrol, the overall impact on aviation across the continent has remained minimal. Eurocontrol said it was aware of bomb threats against 14 flights on Thursday—only 0.05% of all of the nearly 26,300 flights across the European network that day—and seven on Tuesday. The authority stated it is monitoring the situation and working closely with airlines, airports, and navigation service providers to mitigate any disruption to air traffic flows.
In Hungary, Defense Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi said military fighter jets escorted three separate passenger planes Friday across the country's airspace within an hour after each received bomb threats. He identified the flights as traveling from Brussels to Sofia, Prague to Cyprus, and Prague to Romania. Meanwhile, the office of French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu reported that four new bomb threats were made Friday against aircraft flying over French territory. Those planes landed safely at Paris' Orly Airport, where bomb disposal experts conducted inspections.
Other incidents included threats against a Prague to Bucharest flight operated by Romanian carrier Tarom, and a Ryanair flight traveling from Lisbon to Rome. A WizzAir flight from Prague to Rome was diverted to Venice after a bomb alert, and passengers were evacuated after the aircraft landed. Security inspections were carried out at these locations, and no explosives were found.
At Prague's Vaclav Havel Airport, spokesperson Denisa Hejtmánková said a total of nine flights were threatened, including arriving flights from Denmark, Spain, and Britain, and departing flights to the Netherlands, Cyprus, Romania, Italy, and Britain. Czech police said security measures were taken that had a minimal impact on the normal operations at the airport. In the Danish capital, Copenhagen, police said Friday they went to the airport for a second consecutive day in connection with threats directed at air traffic as a precautionary measure, assessing that there was no danger to passengers or others at the airport.
It remains unclear who is behind the wave of airline hoaxes, which come at a time of increased geopolitical tensions and warnings from authorities that Russia may be ramping up so-called hybrid threats in Europe. Authorities have not attributed the threats to any group or state actor, and no evidence has emerged linking the hoaxes to a government. One email containing a threat sent Thursday to airport authorities in Rome, reviewed by The Associated Press, purported to come from a group describing itself as anti-feminist and claiming it was targeting a feminist regime. Another European airport received a threat with similar wording, but it was unclear if it came from the same sender.
Paul Reuter, vice president of the European Cockpit Association, said bomb threats are on pilots' minds and create unnecessary tension, but crews are prepared to respond professionally. He noted that pilots review procedures with cabin crews, identify airports where they could divert, and may carry extra fuel. Reuter called the use of civil aviation for geopolitical disruption or hoaxes totally unacceptable.
In Ireland, the Dublin headquarters of national broadcaster RTE was evacuated Friday after a bomb threat, and live broadcasts were replaced with pre-recorded programs. Staff returned to the building after a few hours once police and sniffer dogs had searched the area and declared it safe. Ireland's police force, An Garda Síochána, said it has been liaising with Irish media organizations and the threat will be investigated. Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin said the threats to RTE and others illustrate how relatively simple it can be to cause disruption and to undermine the normal operation of society through unconventional activities designed to cause fear and anxiety. He noted there would be a very significant security operation in place next week when Dublin hosts meetings of the European Political Community and European Union leaders. Separately, U.K.-based broadcaster Sky said it had also received a security threat, stating it is working closely with authorities to ensure its people and operations remain secure. Sky News remained on air.
