Bomb threats disrupt at least 18 more flights across Europe as media outlets are also targeted

A fresh wave of bomb threats has disrupted air traffic across Europe, with at least 18 flights affected on Friday and no explosives found so far. The latest alerts involved aircraft to or from Bulgaria, Czechia, France, Italy, Hungary, Cyprus, Romania, the United Kingdom and Portugal. Separate threats also disrupted media organisations in Ireland and the UK, widening the impact beyond aviation.

The affected flights landed safely, and searches carried out after the alerts did not reveal explosive devices. According to the supplied material, the latest incidents included at least nine flights to and from Prague, four flights over France, two flights en route to Sofia and one flight from Lisbon to Rome. Danish police also investigated a threat against Copenhagen airport, although the airport said it was operating normally.

Hungary said it scrambled fighter jets three times to escort civilian flights in its airspace, underlining the scale of the response. The disruption came after earlier threats on Tuesday and Thursday that forced at least 35 flights to be diverted or searched. Eurocontrol said 26,709 flights were scheduled in Europe on Friday, meaning the affected aircraft represented a very small share of total traffic, but one with immediate operational consequences.

The repeated alerts matter because they have now affected both transport and media networks across several countries in a short period. Even when no device is found, bomb threats can trigger diversions, evacuations, police searches and military responses, placing pressure on airports, airlines and emergency services. The separate targeting of broadcasters and newsrooms in Ireland also suggests the campaign is intended to create fear and disruption beyond the aviation sector.

The latest wave follows earlier incidents earlier in the week, when flights across Europe were already being diverted or searched. Investigators have said there is no evidence so far that the hoaxes are being orchestrated by a hostile terror group or state actor, although inquiries continue. Some of the threats on Thursday were signed in the name of the Fighters of the Male State, a reference to a Russian far-right group that has been linked in previous reporting to similar warnings.

What remains unclear is who is behind the alerts and whether the aviation incidents and the media threats are part of the same campaign. Authorities have not identified a suspect, and the supplied material does not report any explosives being found. The immediate focus is on tracing the source of the threats, checking affected sites and restoring normal operations across the network.

A new wave of hoax bomb threats has continued to disrupt air travel across Europe, with reports affecting airlines and media organisations in Ireland. An Aer Lingus flight to Rome was diverted to a military base in France after a bomb threat, while other reports involved Ryanair and Wizz Air flights. Irish media organisations were also evacuated after receiving threats, adding a domestic security dimension to the wider cross-border incident.

The extremist group Male State has denied any involvement in the false warnings, according to comments relayed in the supplied material. The latest reports also say one Ryanair flight from Rome to Lisbon was affected, and a Wizz Air flight from Prague to Rome was diverted to Venice. The initial email sent to Rome on Thursday morning was addressed to airport offices and accounts at Fiumicino, and the text claimed that explosives had been planted on two incoming flights.

The disruption has prompted a coordinated response from aviation and security authorities across several countries. In France, the Aer Lingus aircraft was moved to a military air base, while Italian air force jets were scrambled in response to one of the threats. The Irish government said the threats to media organisations suggested a coordinated campaign of disruption, underlining the wider impact beyond aviation alone.

The episode matters because it shows how quickly false threats can spread operational pressure across transport and media networks in different countries at the same time. Even when no explosive device is found, diversions, escorts and evacuations can force airports, airlines and emergency services to activate procedures at short notice. The repeated alerts also raise questions about whether the incidents are linked and whether the aim is disruption rather than direct harm.

There is also a broader security context around the name used in the threats. The group named in the warnings has been banned in Russia, and the supplied material says it has since renamed itself in some places as Male Legion. However, the group has denied sending the emails, and the originating address of the first threat appears to have been linked to state health services in Bogota, Colombia, according to the report.

What remains unclear is who sent the threats and whether the airline incidents and the evacuations in Ireland are part of the same campaign. Authorities have not identified a suspect, and the supplied material does not report any explosives being found. The immediate focus is on tracing the source of the alerts, checking affected sites and restoring normal operations across the network.

Flights across Europe continued to be disrupted on Friday after a new wave of bomb threats prompted diversions, security checks and military responses in several countries. Authorities said inspections so far had found no explosives or suspicious materials on board the aircraft involved. The latest alerts came after a day of widespread disruption on Thursday, when planes departing from 16 countries were affected.

Among the confirmed incidents, a Ryanair flight landed in Lisbon at about 8am after a bomb threat was made by phone to the authorities, according to reports cited in the supplied material. In a separate case, the control tower at Fiumicino received an alert about a device aboard a Wizz Air flight from Paris to Rome. That aircraft was diverted to Venice, where police were clearing the area around the plane.

Bomb disposal teams and military fighter jets were deployed in several countries as part of the response. The scale of the disruption has been significant even though no device has been found. On Thursday, flights from 16 countries, including Ireland, the United Kingdom, Spain and Denmark, were affected, with aircraft diverted to alternate airports or held for additional checks.

No passenger has reported being harmed, and the inspections carried out so far have not produced evidence of explosives or suspicious materials. The repeated alerts have forced airlines, airports and security services to activate emergency procedures across borders. The episode matters because it shows how quickly false threats can affect European aviation networks.

Even when the number of aircraft involved is small compared with the region's daily traffic, the operational impact is immediate and wide-ranging. Diversions, escorts and inspections can disrupt schedules, strain airport resources and create knock-on delays for passengers and carriers. The fact that the alerts have continued for a second day has also increased concern about whether the incidents are linked.

The current wave follows earlier hoax bomb alerts earlier this week, including a flight from the United Kingdom to Bulgaria that was diverted after a threat later found to be without substance. On Tuesday, seven planes across Europe were searched or diverted because of malicious hoax bomb alerts. The supplied material also notes that there have been cyberattacks on supermarkets in several European countries this week, although no connection has been established in the information provided.

What remains unclear is who is behind the threats and whether Friday's incidents are connected to the earlier wave. Authorities have not identified a suspect, and no explosive device has been reported in the material supplied so far. The immediate focus is on tracing the source of the alerts, completing security checks and restoring normal operations across the affected network.

At least 21 aircraft and several airports across Europe were targeted by bomb threats on Thursday, forcing diversions, police responses and military escorts in a fresh wave of aviation disruption. The incidents affected flights and airports in a wide stretch of the continent, including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Italy, Poland and Romania. No explosives have been found so far, and the UK described the alerts as a malicious hoax.

Among the most significant cases, an Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome was diverted to an air base in France, while Italian fighter jets escorted a Finnair flight from Helsinki to Rome. EasyJet said flights from Newcastle and Glasgow were met by police in Prague as a precaution, and London Heathrow and Birmingham airports also received threats that were assessed as not credible. The airport authority in Rome said the threat against two inbound flights had arrived by email, and the warnings were signed in the name of a little-known group calling itself the Fighters of the Male State.

The scale of the response shows how quickly false threats can affect aviation networks even when no device is found. In Italy, Aeroporti di Roma confirmed the email threat, while French authorities moved the Aer Lingus aircraft to Evreux military air base and deployed a bomb squad. UK transport secretary Heidi Alexander said the government was taking the threats seriously and that established procedures were in place to deal with hoax and malicious alerts.

The episode matters because it has spread across multiple countries and forced airlines, airports and security services to react at the same time. Even though the threatened aircraft represent only a small share of Europe's daily traffic, the operational impact is immediate: diversions, escorts, inspections and delays. The incident also raises questions about whether the alerts are linked, and whether they are intended to create wider disruption rather than cause direct harm.

There is also a broader security context. The name used in the email appears to refer to a Russian ultra-right group that was banned by a Moscow court in 2021, although authorities have not confirmed any link between that wording and the wider wave of threats. The supplied material says the group retained a large online following after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but it remains unclear whether the email is genuine or whether the name was used to mislead investigators.

This is the second such incident in a week, following earlier hoax bomb alerts that affected European flights on Tuesday and Wednesday. Those earlier cases also ended without the discovery of explosives, but they prompted emergency searches, runway closures and diversions, adding pressure on airport operators and police forces. The repeated pattern has made coordination between national authorities and aviation agencies central to the response.

What remains unclear is whether Thursday's threats are connected to the earlier wave or are separate cases using similar tactics. Authorities have not identified a suspect, and no explosive device has been reported in the material supplied so far. The immediate focus is on tracing the source of the emails, completing security checks and restoring normal operations across the affected network.

Bomb threats disrupted at least 22 flights across Europe on Thursday, forcing diversions and emergency landings in a fresh wave of aviation security alerts. The incidents affected routes and airports in multiple countries, including Italy, Ireland, the UK, Spain, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Finland, Austria, Denmark, Belgium, Portugal, France, Greece, Serbia and Czechia. All of the aircraft landed safely, and searches so far have found nothing suspicious.

The latest alerts came two days after similar hoax warnings affected European air travel earlier in the week. Flights operated by Ryanair, Aer Lingus, Wizz Air, Finnair, easyJet, Aegean Airlines, Iberia, Sky Express, Air Serbia and LOT were among those affected. The global airlines body IATA condemned the disruption and called on authorities to identify the source of the threats, while the European Union transport commissioner said it was too early to know whether the incidents were linked.

The disruption was significant operationally, even though it affected only a small share of the region's traffic. Eurocontrol said about 27,400 flights were scheduled in Europe on Thursday, meaning the threatened aircraft represented a tiny fraction of the day's total movements. Even so, the alerts triggered emergency procedures, specialist searches and knock-on delays across several countries, underlining how quickly false threats can strain aviation systems.

The episode has renewed concern about possible coordinated disruption, including the possibility of hybrid-style incidents targeting civilian infrastructure. Officials have not identified a responsible group or state actor, and there is no intelligence in the supplied material pointing to any particular country. Bomb threats emailed to airports in Rome and Sofia were signed by a group calling itself the "fighters of the Male State", but authorities have not confirmed any link between that wording and the wider wave of alerts.

The current pattern follows earlier incidents on Tuesday and Monday, when seven planes across Europe were searched or diverted after malicious hoax bomb alerts, and a flight from the UK to Bulgaria was diverted after a threat that proved to be without substance. Those earlier cases also ended without the discovery of explosives, but they added to pressure on airlines, airport operators and police forces already dealing with repeated security checks. The repeated nature of the alerts has made coordination between national authorities and aviation agencies a central part of the response.

What remains unclear is whether Thursday's incidents are connected to the earlier wave or whether they are separate cases using similar tactics. Authorities have not identified a suspect, and no explosive device has been reported in the material supplied so far. The immediate focus is on tracing the origin of the threats, completing security checks and restoring normal operations across the affected network.

A Dublin-to-Rome passenger flight was diverted to France on Thursday after a suspected bomb threat, with French military aircraft escorting the plane to the Evreux airfield west of Paris. French authorities said the aircraft was rerouted after the threat was reported, and the plane later circled over the Evreux area while emergency procedures were under way. The incident added to a wider run of bomb-threat disruptions affecting European aviation this week.

The office of Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said a bomb squad was deployed and that 151 Aer Lingus passengers and six crew members were moved to safety. France's air force said it dispatched aircraft "as soon as the threat was reported," underlining the speed of the response. Flight-tracking data also indicated the aircraft turned near Paris before being escorted to the airfield.

Bulgaria separately reported that three aircraft requested emergency landings because of bomb threats on Thursday, according to local media. The fresh alerts came after several European flights were targeted earlier in the week, prompting emergency searches, a brief airport shutdown outside Warsaw and an escort by the Italian Air Force for a Ryanair plane into Rome. No one has claimed responsibility for the threats, and officials have not attributed blame.

The latest incidents matter because even unconfirmed threats can force airlines, air forces and airport authorities to divert aircraft, deploy specialist teams and move passengers to safety at short notice. They also show how quickly a security alert in one part of Europe can create operational pressure across several countries at once. For passengers, the immediate impact is disruption; for authorities, it is the need to balance caution with keeping air traffic moving.

The current episode follows a series of similar alerts reported on Tuesday and Wednesday, including flights in Poland, Italy, Hungary and Spain. In those cases, officials said inspections found no explosive devices, but the alerts still caused diversions, runway closures and temporary restrictions. The pattern has raised questions about whether the threats are linked, although that has not been established in the supplied material.

What remains unclear is whether Thursday's incidents in France and Bulgaria are connected to the earlier wave of threats or represent separate cases. Authorities have not identified a suspect, and no explosive device has been reported in the material supplied so far. The immediate focus is on completing security checks, restoring normal operations and tracing the source of the alerts.

At least seven flights across Europe and an Israel-bound cruise ship were targeted by bomb threats on Tuesday, prompting emergency searches and temporary disruption at several airports. No explosive devices were found after inspections, and officials said all of the aircraft landed safely. The incidents affected carriers including Ryanair, Wizz Air, Scandinavian Airlines and LOT Polish Airlines.

The most visible disruption came in Poland and Italy. At Warsaw Chopin Airport, a Scandinavian Airlines flight from Copenhagen landed safely while a runway was briefly closed during inspection, and a LOT flight from London was diverted to Warsaw Modlin, which was also closed after the alert. In Rome, two Eurofighter jets escorted a Ryanair flight from Dublin into Fiumicino Airport, while an earlier Ryanair flight from Lisbon was also subjected to anti-bomb procedures.

Airport operators and airline spokespeople said checks of passengers, luggage and aircraft were negative. Officials said Ryanair appeared to be the most affected carrier, with four of its flights targeted. No one has claimed responsibility and authorities have not attributed blame.

The threats also came a day after a plane bound for Bulgaria was diverted to Hungary after a similar alert in the air, adding to a short run of aviation security incidents across the region. In Spain, the national airport operator said it had also been dealing with a bomb threat involving a Ryanair flight, although the available details were not fully set out in the supplied material. The episode matters because even false threats can force airports, airlines and police to divert aircraft, close runways and deploy specialist search teams.

That creates immediate operational pressure on busy transport networks and can affect passengers across several countries at once. It also highlights how quickly a single security alert can spread across European aviation, requiring coordination between airport operators, national police, air force units and aviation authorities. The incidents involved a mix of commercial carriers and airports in Poland, Italy and other parts of Europe, underlining the cross-border nature of the disruption.

In Warsaw, airport officials said normal operations later resumed after the inspections were completed. In Rome, the Italian Air Force said it responded immediately to what it described as a suspected threat aboard a civilian aircraft. The broader pattern suggests a coordinated or at least simultaneous wave of alerts, although that has not been confirmed.

What remains unclear is whether the threats are linked, who sent them, and whether the cruise ship alert was connected to the flight incidents. Authorities have not identified a suspect, and no explosives were found in any of the cases described. The immediate focus is on completing security checks, restoring normal operations and tracing the source of the threats.

At least four flights in Europe were affected by bomb threats on Tuesday, after another incident had been reported the previous day. The alerts led to diversions, security searches and a temporary closure of Modlin airport near Warsaw. In the cases described, no explosive device was found.

One of the most significant disruptions involved a LOT flight from London to Warsaw, which was diverted to Modlin instead of landing at Warsaw Chopin Airport. The airport at Modlin was closed temporarily while the aircraft was inspected. According to the airport administration, operations resumed after teams found no explosive.

A separate flight to Warsaw, operated by SAS from Copenhagen, landed normally at Chopin Airport. The airport administration said no device was found and that the terminal continued operating. In Sofia, a plane arriving from Israel landed after a bomb threat was received by email, and anti-terrorism teams were searching the aircraft for possible explosives, according to the Bulgarian interior ministry.

The incidents come amid a series of aviation security alerts across Europe in a short period. On Monday, a Wizz Air flight from London to Sofia was diverted to Budapest after a bomb threat, according to Hungary's defence minister. Later on Tuesday, part of an airport in Murcia, in south-eastern Spain, was also isolated after a bomb threat involving a Ryanair flight from Manchester, although authorities later concluded it was a false alarm.

The cluster of alerts highlights the operational pressure that bomb threats can place on airports and airlines, even when no explosive is found. Diversions can disrupt schedules, trigger emergency inspections and temporarily close terminals or runways. They also require coordination between airport operators, police, aviation authorities and specialist search teams.

What remains unclear is whether the threats are linked or part of a wider pattern. The available information does not identify a suspect or confirm any device on any of the flights mentioned. The immediate focus for authorities is on security checks, restoring normal operations and determining the source of the threats.

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