An Austrian Airlines flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna made an emergency landing in Sofia, Bulgaria, after the crew received a bomb threat signal during the journey, prompting a security inspection.
The Airbus A320, operating as flight OS82, was diverted to Sofia after the threat was reported near the Romanian border, according to Bulgaria’s Ministry of Transport and Communications. Flight-tracking data cited by Sky News showed that the aircraft landed at around 9.25pm UTC.
The ministry said initial information indicated that six crew members and 51 passengers were on board. All passengers were evacuated from the aircraft after it landed.
“During the flight, on the border with Romania, the crew reported a bomb threat signal and decided to land in Sofia extraordinarily,” the ministry said.
It added that a Bulgarian Air Force fighter jet had taken off and escorted the aircraft until it landed at Sofia airport. A crisis management headquarters was established, while the relevant authorities began inspecting the plane.
Anonymous bomb report triggers alert
According to Israel’s Ynet, passengers said the emergency was triggered by an anonymous report claiming that a bomb was on board.
The Times of Israel also reported that security concerns arose after a suspicious object was allegedly spotted on the aircraft’s deck. The plane reportedly transmitted an emergency signal.
The aircraft was carrying a delegation of young people who were scheduled to speak at the United Nations, according to The Times of Israel. No further details about the alleged threat or the outcome of the security inspection were immediately available in the reports.
The incident comes less than three weeks after a security scare involving a Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv, in which the captain and several Israeli passengers reportedly thwarted an alleged attempt by the co-pilot to crash the aircraft.