A fresh wave of bomb threats has sparked chaos across Europe today with at least 18 passenger planes forced to make emergency landings, just days after a similar spate of incidents.
A Ryanair jet travelling from London to Bulgaria was among those targeted while multiple planes had to be escorted by fighter jets as they were diverted across the continent, with on-the-ground bomb squads racing to inspect aircraft as they landed.
An Aer Lingus flight travelling from Dublin to Rome was also diverted to France today, while two other flights bound for Prague, from Newcastle and Glasgow, were targeted by bomb threats. Both have since landed safely.
In Britain, Heathrow and Birmingham airports confirmed they had received threats early in the day, which were later resolved, with flights continuing as normal.
Heathrow declared the malicious hoax threats as not credible, according to The Times.
It comes just days after a string of hoax bomb threats sparked chaos at European airports, forcing flights around the continent to make emergency landings.
While no country has attributed blame for the threats, they come at a time when European officials have been blaming both Russia and Iran for what they describe as 'hybrid attacks' and acts of sabotage.
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An Aer Lingus Airbus A320 plane arrives at Evreux military air base after the flight from Dublin to Rome was diverted to France
Soldiers and military vehicles are seen at Evreux military air base (Picture provided by a passenger)
Soldiers pictured at Warsaw airport as passengers disembark from a plane
A flightradar map showing the flight from Dublin being diverted to Normany, France
The flights affected are:
- Ryanair flight from London Stansted to Sofia (Diverted to Plovdiv)
- Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome (Diverted to Evreux airport)
- LOT Polish Airlines flight from Warsaw to Brussels (Landed safely at its destination)
- Finnair plane from Helsinki to Rome (Landed safely at its destination after being escorted by the Italian air force)
- Finnair plane from Helsinki to Vienna (Landed safely at its destination)
- Ryanair flight from Copenhagen (Forced to land in Sofia)
- Ryanair flight from Madrid (Forced to land in Sofia)
- WizzAir flight from Milan to Warsaw (Diverted to Vienna)
- WizzAir flight from Milan to Bucharest (Landed safely at its destination)
- Agean Airlines flight from Thessaloniki to Milan (Landed safely at its destination)
- Aegean Airlines flight from Athens to Vienna (Landed safely at its destination)
- Ryanair flight from Porto to Milan (Landed safely at its destination)
- Flight from Glasgow to Prague (Landed safely at its destination)
- Flight from Newcastle to Prague (Landed safely at its destination)
- Two other planes heading to Prague faced bomb threats and have now safely landed.
Other flights affected include one from Helsinki to Rome, which was safely escorted to the Italian capital's Fiumicino airport by airforce jets.
Meanwhile, a Finnair flight from Helsinki to Vienna landed as normal after recieving a bomb threat.
And a bomb alert was reported on a WizzAir flight from Milan to Warsaw, which was forced to divert to Vienna, and on a LOT Polish Airlines flight from Warsaw to Brussels.
An Aegean Airlines flight from Thessaloniki and a Ryanair flight from Porto both flying to Milan arrived safely at their destination following bomb threats.
And a Finnair flight, also to Rome, landed at its destination after receiving a bomb threat.
The Aer Lingus flight left Dublin Airport at 06.20am on Thursday, scheduled for Rome Fiumicino Airport.
But around 90 minutes into the flight, the flight transmitted an emergency squawk code, and the flight was subsequently diverted to the Evreux airbase in Normandy, France, after being escorted by fighter jets.
One person who was on the flight told the Daily Mail she was 'panicked' and 'reading the bible' as the situation unfolded.
The passenger, who wishes to remain anonymous, said the pilot initially said there was a technical problem on board, but once the plane landed, confirmed there was a 'security threat named to the flight which has been deemed non credible.'
Airport authorities in Rome said the hoax threats were sent via email with the subject line: 'Threat Notification'.
The warnings were signed on behalf of a group called the 'Fighters of the Male State' claiming to be targeting a 'feminist regime' and wanting to 'make our mark on history', the BBC reported, citing Italian authorities. They threatened to 'turn the sky red' with explosions.
'Fighters of the Male State' is a far-right movement originating in Russia. They promote extreme misogyny, white nationalism and anti LGBT sentiments.
Later, three aircraft were forced to land at Bulgarian airports following bomb threats, local media reported on Thursday, citing government ministers.
Two of the aircraft, flying from Copenhagen and Madrid respectively, landed in Sofia, while a third aircraft, from London, landed in Plovdiv.
Polish airlines LOT said on Thursday that a flight from Warsaw to Brussels landed safely at its destination after a security warning and no threat was confirmed.
'Following receipt of information regarding a potential security threat to flight LO235 from Warsaw to Brussels, the flight crew was notified of the situation and conducted an onboard inspection in accordance with established procedures. No suspicious items were found,' a LOT spokesperson said.
Four airplanes heading to Prague received bomb threats on Thursday, Czech police said.
Two originated in the UK, one from Greece and the other from Ireland, according to local media reports.
And a Finnair flight from Helsinki, operated by Jettime, on Thursday landed as normal in Vienna after receiving a bomb threat, a spokesperson for the Finnish carrier said.
Another WizzAir flight from Milan to Bucharest also faced a bomb threat, according to the Romanian intelligence aceny.
Spanish officials confirmed a Ryanair plane from Manchester to Murcia airport in southern Spain came under threat on Tuesday
Passengers in Murcia airport following the bomb alert on Tuesday
It comes as at least seven flights were targeted Tuesday morning with some forced to divert before being searched on the ground.
And speculation is now mounting that Russia has expanded its hybrid war across Europe.
The continent is on edge as Vladimir Putin recently warned he is prepared for a major war with Europe.
In a chilling threat to the West last week, the Russian tyrant said there would be 'no winners' if he entered a conflict with Nato.
Despite insisting he did not want to become embroiled in a bloody fight with Europe, he said if tensions continued to escalate, he and his troops are ready.
'Many people keep talking about preparing for war by 2030. Is that right or wrong?' Putin said at a press conference in Moscow on Thursday.
'First of all, we are ready, but we don't want any war with Europe. As for them, if anyone wants it, let them prepare.'
Western intelligence officials have also warned that the Russian tyrant has an 'appetite' to increase his European sabotage campaign, in a move sources fear could lead to a war by 2030.
And hoax bomb threats are not the only incidents targeting the continent. British supermarkets have been placed on high alert after cyber hackers hit shops across Europe, seizing control of their fridges and freezers.
The National Cyber Security Centre – a wing of intelligence agency GCHQ – has warned retailers to stay alert after the attacks, which have caused widespread damage.
Dozens of supermarkets in Belgium, Sweden, Ireland, Luxembourg and Estonia have been targeted – just weeks after hackers turned up the temperatures of cooling units in hundreds of French grocery stores.
Meanwhile, European leaders are taking action against increasing threats, with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk saying today that he sent armed forces to the Russian border amid fears of an armed incursion.
The move comes as his country foiled a potential 'provocation' overnight on its border with the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, he said, noting that he was informed just after midnight of suspicious activity on Poland's northern border.
'We very quickly mobilized the necessary security forces and means on site, and we successfully prevented any attempted acts of provocation, if that was the intention. Of course, we will never be able to completely confirm that,' Tusk said.
He added that the incident followed weeks of warnings from Polish and allied intelligence that 'acts of diversion or more serious provocation' could target the European Union and NATO member's border with Russia, including 'the intrusion of armed individuals into Polish territory'.
Tusk warned that Poland could face a prolonged 'escalation from the Russian side', and called for heightened vigilance against sabotage operations or other threats.
