By Ahmed Abdelsalam
Flights across Europe were diverted or forced to make emergency landings on Thursday following a wave of bomb threats, authorities said. More than a dozen flights originating from cities including Copenhagen, Dublin, Helsinki, Madrid, Milan, and Warsaw were targeted. Inspections have so far found no hazardous or suspicious materials on any of the aircraft.
Finnair Flights Land Safely
Finnair reported that two of its flights, AY1761 from Helsinki to Rome and AY1471 from Helsinki to Vienna, received unfounded bomb threats. Both aircraft landed safely at their destinations and passengers disembarked normally. The airline said nothing suspicious was found during inspections. The Rome-bound plane was inspected and cleared to depart back to Helsinki, while the Vienna flight will return to normal service after inspection.
Czech Police Deploy to Prague Airport
In the Czech Republic, police were dispatched to Václav Havel Airport in Prague to prepare for the arrival of four planes after receiving threats of explosive devices on board. Authorities activated all necessary security measures. Subsequent searches of the aircraft that landed in Prague revealed nothing suspicious. Police did not disclose the flights' origins.
Pattern of Hoax Threats Amid Geopolitical Tensions
The incidents follow a series of hoax bomb threats earlier in the week that prompted searches, diversions, and in one case a military escort. Such threats are not new but come at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions and other signs of disruption, including attacks on supermarket refrigeration systems, drone incursions in Europe, and mysterious triggers to alert applications.
