(Refiles to fix RIC)
By Zakarya Meliani
Nov 5 (Reuters) – A string of bomb threats has disrupted passenger flights across Europe in recent days, forcing diversions, emergency landings and security sweeps, though no explosives have been found so far.
Here is a list of flights affected by bomb threats in recent days.
AEGEAN AIRLINES
An Aegean Airlines flight from Thessaloniki was affected by a bomb alert on November 5 that came after the plane had landed in Milan Malpensa. An Aegean spokeswoman said inspections found nothing suspicious.
AER LINGUS
An Airbus A320 flying from Dublin to Rome was diverted to the Evreux air base in northern France on November 5 following a bomb alert, the French prime minister’s office said.
AIR EUROPA, IBERIA
On November 5, Spain’s Guardia Civil said that three bomb threats received by email affected six flights at Madrid-Barajas airport, including four Iberia flights from Rome and Milan and two Air Europa departures to Paris.
Threat was ruled out after inspection.
AIR SERBIA
On November 5, an Air Serbia flight from Belgrade received a bomb threat, but landed safely in Bucharest.
AUSTRIAN AIRLINES
An Austrian Airlines flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna diverted to Sofia on October 18 after a reported bomb threat while over Romania, Bulgaria’s transport ministry said.
A Bulgarian Air Force MiG-29 escorted the Airbus A320. The security search found no threat and the flight later continued to Vienna with all passengers.
EASYJET
Two easyJet flights, one from Newcastle and one from Glasgow, were met by police on arrival in Prague on November 5 as a precaution over a “security-related matter,” an easyJet spokesperson told Reuters, adding that passengers on both flights disembarked normally.
FINNAIR
A threat was made against a Finnair flight from Helsinki to Rome and it was escorted by Italian air force units on November 5, ANSA reported. The plane landed as normal.
On the same day, a Jettime-operated flight from Helsinki landed safely in Vienna after receiving a bomb threat, a Finnair spokesperson said.
LOT POLISH AIRLINES
On November 5, a LOT flight from Warsaw landed safely in Brussels following a bomb alert, a source at Belgian police said. No suspicious items were found during inspections, a LOT spokesperson said.
A Warsaw-Paris flight was stopped on the same day while taxiing and directed to a designated parking stand after a report of a potential security threat. No dangerous items were found, a spokesperson told Polish news agency PAP. The flight was continued with a different aircraft.
On November 3, a flight from London made an unscheduled landing at Warsaw-Modlin airport and air operations were temporarily suspended after a threat.
RYANAIR
On November 5, bomb threats prompted checks on a Ryanair flight from Porto to Milan in Italy, and on three Ryanair aircraft in Bulgaria and a Ryanair flight from Cork to London Stansted. Checks on three aircraft that landed in Bulgaria found no issues, the Bulgaria’s transport transport ministry told Reuters.
Four Ryanair flights were affected by bomb threats on November 3, prompting searches in Italy, Spain and Bulgaria.
SAS SCANDINAVIAN AIRLINES
On November 3, a bomb threat was reported on an SAS flight from Copenhagen to Warsaw, which landed at Warsaw-Chopin airport and was checked, an airport spokesperson said. SAS said the aircraft landed safely and passengers disembarked. Polish authorities said the threat was not confirmed.
WIZZ AIR
On November 5, Wizz Air confirmed that a flight from Milan Malpensa to Bucharest Otopeni received a bomb threat but, already on final approach, landed safely without diverting. Authorities completed security checks and cleared the aircraft to resume operations.
A flight from Milan/Bergamo to Sofia was the target of a threat on November 3, Bulgaria’s transport ministry said. The plane landed safely with 176 passengers on board and no explosive devices were found during inspection.
Another Wizz Air flight from London to Sofia diverted to Budapest on November 2 after a threat, the defence minister said. A Hungarian Gripen fighter escorted the aircraft.
(Reporting by Zakarya Meliani, Ronan Corcoran and Margaux Perrin; Editing by Matt Scuffham, Pooja Desai, Milla Nissi-Prussak, Anna Pruchnicka and Shailesh Kuber)
Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.