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Bomb threats force more than ten European flights into emergency landings amid fears Russia is behind chaos in the skies

Bomb threats force more than ten European flights into emergency landings amid fears Russia is behind chaos in the skies

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. 

Are YOU on the flight? Email eliana.silvergokun@dailymail.co.uk 

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.

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are to visit Brussels next week as they resume public appearances in the wake of child sexual abuse image allegations facing Meghan's father.

Prince Harry and Meghan will deliver a joint keynote address at the opening of the Lost Screen Memorial in the European Parliament on Tuesday.

It is expected to be the first time the pair will have been seen in public since Thomas Markle Sr was reported to police in the Philippines and the FBI over a haul of suspected child abuse images.

The brief trip abroad will see Harry and Meghan listen to addresses by European Parliament president Roberta Metsola and MEP Antonio Lopez-Isturiz, the first vice-chairman of the Child Rights Intergroup, before delivering their own speech.

The Sussexes will have between 15 and 20 minutes for their rare dual-address, which they will use to speak about the importance of children's digital safety.

Harry and Meghan will also be shown the memorial exhibition, which remembers children who have lost their lives as a result of the harm they suffered on social media.

The Duke will later join a panel discussion called Beyond Promises: Building A Digital Future That Works For Children to discuss how to protect children online.

Prince Harry and Mehgan arrive for a visit to Himmah Hub in Nottingham on October 15

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has said videos of alleged child sexual abuse and exploitation were among files found in four storage boxes that allegedly belonged to Mr Markle Sr, after he was reported by his son Thomas Markle Jr last month.

Major General Wilson Asueta of the PNP said it had yet to be confirmed who owned the devices, which included nine mobile phones, three memory cards, five hard drives and a camera.

The 82-year-old was reported to police in the Philippines and the FBI last month by Mr Markle Jr, who handed over a haul of alleged child abuse images he said he found in his father's belongings in Cebu City.

A second hoard was discovered last Friday in a storage unit Thomas Markle Sr is said to have rented near his former home in Rosarito, Mexico, during a raid by Mexican police.

Reports have since claimed Mr Markle Sr was moved into a care home for dementia patients in Florida, described as a specialist 'memory care' facility.

It has raised concerns the FBI may never be able to interview Meghan's estranged father because of the legal barriers over interrogating suspects with cognitive issues in care homes.

Meghan was left 'deeply distressed' at the allegations and revealed she was sent a letter via the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection seven years ago which made 'troubling and disturbing allegations' about her father, but that she was given assurances these were being investigated.

Harry and Meghan are set to be seen in public for the first time since her father Thomas Markle was reported to police over a haul of alleged child sexual abuse images

The Metropolitan Police has admitted it never shared the details with other law enforcement agencies, with the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, now investigating the force's conduct.

The Duchess had wanted to 'speak out' immediately after reading the letter but police advised her against this, sources said.

Meghan has been estranged from her father since the run-up to her 2018 wedding when he was caught staging paparazzi photographs and then had a heart attack, meaning the King, then-the Prince of Wales, stepped in to walk Meghan down the aisle.

When former TV lighting director Mr Markle Sr had his leg amputated in the Philippines last year, he made pleas for the duchess to contact him, saying he did not want to die while they were still estranged.

A spokesperson for the duchess confirmed at the time she had 'reached out to her father'.

Last week, it emerged Meghan wrote in this final letter that she knew he was an abuser and that he would never see his grandchildren Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

Mr Markle Sr, who returned to the US in May, has admitted to paying for sex in the Philippines but denied ever possessing child abuse imagery.

READ MORE: Harry and Meghan lose another key member of staff as Archewell's head of factual programmes steps down after more than five years

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Blake Lively looked as if she had some new pep in her step when she was spotted out in New York City on Tuesday night in a stunning little black dress.

The 39-year-old Gossip Girl star was spotted out in Manhattan's Upper East Side for an event celebrating the launch of jeweler Brent Neale's new holiday collection, according to E! News.

Although Lively was reportedly joined by friends, her husband Ryan Reynolds, 50, didn't appear by her side.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Lively's representative for comment but hasn't yet heard back. 

Lively – who recently revealed her over-the-top beauty regimen – channeled classic glamour in her skimpy black dress, which was decorated with glittering sequins.

The off-the-shoulder minidress featured a playful black bow that covered her cleavage for a touch of modesty.

Blake Lively looked as if she had some new pep in her step when she was spotted out in New York City on Tuesday night in a stunning little black dress

The 39-year-old Gossip Girl star was spotted out in Manhattan's Upper West Side for an event celebrating the launch of jeweler Brent Neale's new holiday collection, according to E! News

Lively – who recently revealed her over-the-top beauty regimen – channeled classic glamour in her skimpy black dress, which was decorated with glittering sequins

Lively's short skirt showcased her toned legs, which culminated in clear Louboutins that strapped around her ankles and featured black-tipped toes.

The It Ends with Us star, who is stepping out in the wake of her bruising legal drama with her former costar and director Justin Baldoni, wore her long blond hair in dramatic waves cascading down her shoulders.

She completed her glamorous ensemble with a simple black leather hobo handbag, and she added some extra sparkle with dangling earrings and multiple enormous sparkling rings.

Lively looked as if she was on top of the world as she beamed for photographers outside the shindig.

The outing comes after Lively revealed the secrets of the beauty regimen she uses to look as if she's in the 'first trimester of life' last week.

The actress took to her Instagram Story to share a candid clip of the nighttime routine she uses to maintain her 'natural beauty.'

She appeared to be wearing headgear with red-light therapy over her hair, in addition to a sheet mask with extra pieces she had pasted to her bare face. 

The Gossip Girl alumna was also bundled up in a brown fleece hoodie while seemingly winding down for the night with her beauty routine.

The off-the-shoulder minidress featured a playful black bow that covered her cleavage for a touch of modesty

Lively's short skirt showcased her toned legs, which culminated in clear Louboutins that strapped around her ankles and featured black-tipped toes

The It Ends with Us star wore her long blond hair in dramatic waves cascading down her shoulders

She completed her glamorous ensemble with a simple black leather hobo handbag

Lively added some extra sparkle with dangling earrings and multiple enormous sparkling rings

Lively looked as if she was on top of the world as she beamed for photographers outside the shindig

The outing comes after Lively revealed the secrets of her beauty regimen last week

She joked that her go-to products make her look as if she's in the 'first trimester of life'

The actress took to her Instagram Story to share a candid clip of the nighttime routine she uses to maintain her 'natural beauty' 

Lively gave a glimpse into her cozy wind-down routine shortly after the drama involving her film It Ends With Us and her director and costar Justin Baldoni. 

'Natural beauty is effortless,' she quipped at the bottom of her post, which pictured her taking a deep breath while the mask covered her face.

Lively also drew thought bubbles around her face, and in one, she wrote: 'If I don't look like I'm in the first trimester of life after this much effort I quit.' 

She continued: 'I miss the 2000s when we just used that handsoap with fish characters on it on our face & called it a day.' 

The Gossip Girl star also noted the lights in the background of her room in another thought bubble: 'My kids' star projector that I stole is a vibe tho.'

She set her candid post to the tune of Fergie and Ludacris' 2006 smash hit Glamorous.

The mother of four – who shares James, 11; Inez, ten; Betty, seven; and Olin, three, with her husband Ryan Reynolds – often shares snippets of her hair and beauty routines on social media.

In August, she shared a video of herself getting ready in her bathroom before rushing out the door as a busy mother and businesswoman. 

The mother of four – who shares James, 11; Inez, ten; Betty, seven; and Olin, three, with her husband Ryan Reynolds – often shares snippets of her hair and beauty routines on social media; above with Reynolds in April 2025 in NYC

In August, she shared a video of herself getting ready in her bathroom before rushing out the door as a busy mother and businesswoman

Her post comes after she was in a legal battle with Baldoni, and the former costars settled right before their trial was set to begin. Baldoni was ultimately ordered to pay $400,000 of Lively's legal fees earlier this year; pictured together in It Ends With Us

'The look: no time but need to look cute while ALSO raising children,' the movie star, who was seen using products from her Blake Brown haircare brand, wrote over the clip. 

'Moment of truth: bun out after running around the city,' she continued, before almost running out the door with her pants unbuttoned.

Her post comes after she was in a legal battle with Baldoni, and the former costars settled right before their trial was set to begin. 

Baldoni was ultimately ordered to pay $400,000 of Lively's legal fees. 

Lively previously sued Baldoni and his production company Wayfarer in December 2024. 

Right before their trial was set to begin earlier this year, Lively was awarded just over $400,000 of the $8 million she sought in legal fees from their dispute due to his countersuit. 

In her lawsuit, Lively asserted that she was subjected to sexual harassment as well as retaliation, alleging he orchestrated a smear campaign to harm her reputation after she brought up complaints about his behavior on set.  

In response, Baldoni denied harassment and claimed Lively made complaints to seize creative control of the movie. 

In June 2025, the countersuit was thrown out. In May of this year, just two weeks before the scheduled trial date, the former costars reached their settlement.

They also released a joint statement, writing that they 'remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments.' 

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