Six separate flights across Europe were targeted by bomb threats today, including planes that departed from London and Manchester. A flight from London Heathrow to Poland's Warsaw-Chopin Airport was diverted to the city's second airport, Modlin, following an alert, while another flight to Warsaw-Chopin from Copenhagen landed as planned, with the jet undergoing checks.
A Ryanair flight that departed Manchester this morning was surrounded by police and a bomb squad when it landed in Murcia, Spain. According to Bulgarian media, a flight from Israel landed in the capital of Sofia after a bomb threat was received by email. Another two Ryanair planes were inspected in Rome following potential bomb threats, according to the BBC.
Emergency response at Warsaw-Modlin Airport
Modlin Airport, which has since resumed operations, said in an earlier statement that it launched an "emergency response" after a bomb scare targeted a plane carrying 181 people. The airport said: "Bomb threat on board a Boeing 737 MAX – emergency response at Warsaw-Modlin Airport. At 9:54 AM, a bomb threat was reported on board an aircraft operating a flight from London Heathrow (LHR) to Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW). At 10:01 AM, the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft landed at Warsaw-Modlin Airport. There were 181 people on board."
Bomb disposal experts were said to have checked the flight and passengers' luggage after it touched down at Modlin. The bomb threat was called off after nothing was found. Warsaw-Modlin Airport later said: "The bomb threat was called off […] Following the completion of operations by the relevant services, Warsaw/Modlin Airport has returned to normal functioning."
SAS flight SK751 and inspections in Rome
The Scandinavian SAS flight targeted today - SK751 - left Copenhagen Airport at 8.15am local time (7.15am GMT) and landed at Warsaw-Chopin an hour later. A spokesperson for SAS said: "We can confirm that a threat has been made against flight SK751 between Copenhagen and Warsaw. The aircraft landed normally in Warsaw and the passengers have disembarked. We are following established security procedures while taking care of our passengers and crew. The matter is now being handled by the police in Warsaw, and we are following their instructions."
Another two planes were inspected in Rome following anonymous tips relating to potential bomb threats, according to the BBC. Sources at Rome Fiumicino airport said bomb disposal experts were sent to the two Ryanair flights. Nothing was found following an inspection of the passengers, luggage, and the aircraft. The alert has since been cleared. The flight which departed Dublin - FR9611 - was escorted by the Italian Air Force until landing.
No explosives found in Murcia
No explosives have been found on the Ryanair plane that was inspected in Murcia following a bomb threat, local officials have reported. Francisco Lucas, a government delegate in Murcia, said in a post on X: "The @guardiacivil has ruled out the presence of explosives on the plane from Manchester following its inspection. The International Airport of the Region of Murcia resumes its activity normally. Thanks to the emergency teams that have participated in the operation."
The incidents today come after a Wizz Air flight departed London Luton on Monday and was forced to make an emergency landing in Budapest after a mid-air bomb threat. The plane, bound for Sofia in Bulgaria, was escorted by a Hungarian fighter jet before touching down at Budapest Liszt Ferenc International. A Wizz Air spokesperson said nothing was found after an inspection had been completed.
