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Europe on alert after bomb threats target at least four passenger flights

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Multiple airlines carrying hundreds of passengers were forced to alter routes or undergo emergency screening after warnings targeted routes originating from cities like London, Copenhagen, and Manchester. In Bulgaria, counter-terrorism personnel met a flight arriving from Israel after an email threat that appeared linked to a wider warning sent to several institutions. The disruption follows an episode a day earlier where a Wizz Air flight required a fighter jet escort to Budapest. Authorities have concluded all recent searches without discovering any explosives on board.

Key points

  • European aviation authorities are managing a cluster of disruptive security alerts spanni…: European aviation authorities are managing a cluster of disruptive security alerts spanning routes across at least three countries.
  • Investigators have not yet established an operational link connecting the multiple airlin…: Investigators have not yet established an operational link connecting the multiple airline bomb threats received on Tuesday.
  • None of the recent bomb warnings, including alerts affecting flights to and from Israel l…: None of the recent bomb warnings, including alerts affecting flights to and from Israel last month, contained active explosives.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

At least four passenger flights across Europe were targeted by suspected bomb threats on Tuesday, prompting emergency landings and security checks in Poland, Spain and Bulgaria. All four aircraft landed safely, with counter-terrorism units and police deployed to inspect them. The incidents came a day after a separate bomb threat forced a Wizz Air flight from London to Sofia to divert to Budapest.

In Poland, two separate flights were affected. A LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 737 MAX flying from London Heathrow to Warsaw Chopin Airport was diverted to Warsaw-Modlin after a bomb alert was received at 9.54 am local time. The aircraft landed at 10.01 am with 181 people on board, including a group of Jewish students aged 16 and 17 travelling from London on a school delegation. Passengers were evacuated and the aircraft moved to an isolated area for inspection. Modlin Airport was temporarily closed before resuming operations.

A Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) flight from Copenhagen to Warsaw also faced a bomb threat. The aircraft landed normally at Warsaw Chopin Airport and passengers disembarked, the airline said.

Police took charge…

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