Hoax bomb threats prompted searches and diversions on multiple European flights

The Story

Several flights across Europe received alleged bomb threats Tuesday that ultimately turned out to be hoaxes, prompting security searches, diversions and, in one case, an escort by the Italian Air Force until landing, officials said.

The affected airlines included Poland’s LOT, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and Ryanair. No one was injured and none of the planes made emergency landings Tuesday.

In Italy, a Ryanair flight from Lisbon landed in Rome’s Fiumicino airport Tuesday morning after an email reported a bomb was on board, according to information provided by a Fiumicino official who had knowledge of the events. Police bomb disposal experts carried out security checks of passengers, crew and baggage and found no explosives.

Another email reported a bomb on a separate Ryanair flight to Rome, bound from Dublin. That aircraft was escorted by the Italian Air Force to Fiumicino, and the same ground security procedures were carried out, with no explosives found, the official said.

In Poland, a morning LOT flight from London’s Heathrow airport to Warsaw’s main Chopin airport was diverted to Modlin after a bomb threat, Polish press agency PAP reported. The airport was closed temporarily.

LOT later said the search of the aircraft diverted to Modlin had been completed and that “nothing was found on the aircraft.” PAP reported that passengers were undergoing border control and, after passing through, would be transported to Chopin Airport by coach.

Modlin airport later posted a statement saying there was no real threat and normal operations had resumed, though it did not provide further details on the nature of the threats.

Chopin Airport also received information about a potentially dangerous item on board an SAS flight from Copenhagen to Chopin, PAP reported. Acting Director of the Warsaw Airport’s Communications Office Piotr Rudzki said standard safety procedures were immediately implemented and that one runway was closed.

SAS spokeswoman Alexandra Lindgren Kaokju told PAP that passengers disembarked and the plane landed normally and that it was “not an emergency landing.” She said the matter was referred to Polish police.

In Spain, officials ruled out the presence of explosives on a Ryanair plane from Manchester that landed in the Murcia region’s airport following a bomb threat. Francisco Lucas, the Spanish government’s delegate in Murcia, said passengers and crew went through security checks and the aircraft was inspected after the threat, and he said the flight had 121 people on board, including crew.