Bomb threats hit 7 more flights across Europe, including a plane from Stansted

A Ryanair plane from London Stansted was one of at least seven flights across Europe hit by bomb threats on Thursday morning, the second wave of hoax alerts this week.

The Stansted flight to Sofia, in Bulgaria, was diverted to Plovdiv and landed safely. No explosives have been found on any of the planes, and no one has said they were behind the threats.

Aer Lingus jet sent to a military base

The most dramatic diversion was an Aer Lingus Airbus A320 flying from Dublin to Rome. Flight EI402 crossed the English Channel as normal, then turned south-west of Paris and was sent to the Évreux air base in Normandy, which is normally used by the French military.

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The office of French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said all 151 passengers and six crew were safe and had been moved to a secure area. The French air force said it sent planes “as soon as the threat was reported”, and a bomb disposal team checked the aircraft.

Three Ryanair flights to Bulgaria

Bulgarian officials said three planes made emergency landings because of the threats. Two Ryanair flights, from Copenhagen and Madrid, landed at Sofia airport, while the flight from Stansted was diverted to Plovdiv.

Plovdiv Airport chief executive Krassimir Peshev confirmed the London flight had landed safely.

Finnair, Wizz Air and LOT also hit

A Finnair flight from Helsinki to Rome was escorted into the Italian capital by the Italian air force. The airline said it “landed as normal”, and Finnish broadcaster Yle reported that nothing unusual was found.

A Wizz Air flight from Milan to Warsaw was diverted to Vienna, and a Finnair flight from Helsinki to Vienna also received a threat but landed normally. In Warsaw, a LOT Polish Airlines plane heading for Paris was stopped while taxiing and searched. Nothing dangerous was found.

The second wave this week

It is the second time in a few days that flights across Europe have been targeted. On Monday and Tuesday, at least seven flights and a cruise ship received bomb threats, including Wizz Air, Ryanair, LOT and Scandinavian Airlines planes, some of which were escorted by fighter jets. On Wednesday, a plane heading to Bulgaria was diverted to Hungary.

The UK government has described the alerts as “malicious hoax threats”. No pattern has emerged in the airlines or routes being targeted, and no arrests have been reported.

What it means if you are flying

Airlines say flights are operating, but passengers on affected routes may face delays. If you are travelling today, check your flight status with your airline before you leave for the airport.

Sources: The Irish Times, France 24, ABC News, AP, Reuters, French Prime Minister’s office, Finnair, Plovdiv Airport.