Bomb threat alerts rippled through European air travel on Tuesday, prompting fighter escorts, emergency protocols and intensive searches — including on two Ryanair services that departed Dublin — as authorities stressed that no explosives have been found.
Two Ryanair flights originating from Dublin have been searched following potential bomb threats today.
The broader spate of threats disrupted passenger routes across several countries, leading to diversions, precautionary landings and security sweeps, even as officials repeatedly reported clean inspections.
One of the affected flights, travelling from Dublin to Rome, touched down at Rome’s Fiumicino airport at 10.30am CET this morning after receiving an escort from the Italian Air Force until landing.
A second Ryanair service, operating from Dublin to Sofia, also received a bomb threat, according to Bulgarian transport minister Georgi Peev.
Despite the alert, the aircraft continued to its destination and landed safely in the Bulgarian capital with 185 passengers on board. Inspectors found no explosive devices.
Earlier, a separate flight arriving from Lisbon landed at Rome Fiumicino at 9.40am CET this morning. Airport operator ADR said both the Lisbon aircraft and the plane from Dublin were put through standard security procedures, including searches and bomb sweeps of the aircraft, luggage, passengers and crew.
ADR said the alert was later lifted, there was no bomb threat to the airport itself, and flight operations elsewhere at the hub were not disrupted.
In Spain, Murcia’s international airport also triggered a security protocol today after a bomb alert was reported on a Ryanair flight from Manchester that landed at the airport, Spain’s government delegate for the Murcia region, Francisco Lucas, said on social media.
All 121 people on board, 114 passengers and seven crew, disembarked and underwent security checks while security forces inspected the aircraft to determine whether the threat was real.
Bulgarian officials said other aircraft were similarly targeted. A Wizz Air flight from Milan/Bergamo to Sofia was also the subject of a bomb threat today, Bulgaria’s transport ministry said. It landed safely with 176 passengers on board, and inspectors again reported finding no explosive devices.
The day before, another Wizz Air flight from London to Sofia diverted to Budapest yesterday after a bomb threat, Hungary’s defence minister said. A Hungarian Gripen fighter was scrambled to escort the aircraft.
Poland also dealt with multiple alerts. Yesterday, a LOT Polish Airlines flight from London made an unscheduled landing at Warsaw-Modlin airport after a bomb threat alert, a LOT spokesperson confirmed.
Air operations at the airport were suspended and resumed around midday. The aircraft was checked by the relevant services, while passengers and crew waited in the arrivals hall for further decisions.
A bomb threat was also reported yesterday on an SAS flightfrom Copenhagen to Warsaw, which landed at Warsaw-Chopin airport and was checked, a Chopin airport spokesperson said.
SAS said the aircraft landed safely and its passengers disembarked. Polish authorities said the threat was not confirmed. The airport continued operations.
Additional reporting: PA
