European air traffic is targeted by new threats after a week of hoaxes
Passengers arrive at the Henri Coanda International Airport pass under a Schengen Information sign, in Otopeni, near Bucharest, Romania, on March 31, 2024.
Andreea Alexandru/AP
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Andreea Alexandru/AP
BERLIN — Officials across Europe reported a fresh slew of bomb threats against multiple flights on Friday, following a string of hoaxes that have caused flight diversions this week. Two broadcasters also received security threats.
No suspicious items were found and no one was injured, but the threats have raised concern because they came as Europe digests other recent disruptions — including attacks on supermarket refrigeration systems and drone incursions.
Overall, the threats have caused minimal disruption to aviation across the continent, according to the European air traffic authority. Eurocontrol said it was aware of bomb threats against 14 flights on Thursday — only 0.05% of all of the nearly 26,300 flights across the European network that day — and seven on Tuesday.
In Hungary, the defense minister said military fighter jets escorted three separate passenger planes Friday across the country’s airspace within an hour after each received bomb threats. Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi said they were flights from Brussels to Sofia and from Prague to Cyprus and Romania.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s office said Friday that “four new bomb threats were made today against aircraft flying over French territory.” The planes landed safely at Paris’ Orly Airport and bomb disposal experts were conducting inspections. The office didn’t give details of the flights affected.
Other incidents included threats against a Prague to Bucharest flight operated by Romanian carrier Tarom, and a Ryanair flight traveling from Lisbon to Rome. A WizzAir flight from Prague to Rome was diverted to Venice after a bomb alert, and passengers were evacuated after the aircraft landed.
Security inspections were carried out and no explosives were found.
Eurocontrol said Friday it was monitoring the situation and working closely with airlines, airports, navigation service providers and other groups across Europe “to mitigate any disruption to air traffic flows.”
At Prague’s Vaclav Havel Airport, spokesperson Denisa Hejtmánková said a total of nine flights were threatened, including arriving flights from Denmark, Spain and Britain, and departing flights to the Netherlands, Cyprus, Romania, Italy and Britain. Czech police said security measures were taken that had “a minimal impact on the normal operations at the airport.”
In the Danish capital Copenhagen, police said Friday they went to the airport for a second consecutive day “in connection with threats directed at air traffic” as a precautionary measure. They said they assessed that there had been no danger to passengers or to others at the airport.
No clear evidence on who is behind the threats
More than two dozen flights were affected by threats earlier in the week, with some diverted as authorities scrambled to rule out any danger.
Fake bomb threats are relatively common but it is unusual to see so many in such a short period.
It remains unclear who is behind the wave of airline hoaxes, which come at a time of increased geopolitical tensions and warnings from authorities that Russia may be ramping up so-called hybrid threats in Europe.
Authorities have not attributed the threats to any group or state actor, and no evidence has emerged linking the hoaxes to a government. An email containing the threat sent Thursday to airport authorities in Rome and reviewed by The Associated Press purported to come from a group describing itself as anti-feminist and claiming it was targeting a “feminist regime.” Another European airport received a threat with similar wording, but it was unclear if it came from the same sender.
Bomb threats are on pilots’ minds and create unnecessary tension, but crews are prepared to respond professionally, said Paul Reuter, vice president of the European Cockpit Association. Pilots review procedures with cabin crews, identify airports where they could divert and may carry extra fuel, he said.
Reuter called the use of civil aviation for geopolitical disruption or hoaxes “totally unacceptable.”
Broadcasters also received threats
In Ireland, the Dublin headquarters of national broadcaster RTE was evacuated Friday after a bomb threat, and live broadcasts were replaced with pre-recorded programs. Staff returned to the building after a few hours, once police and sniffer dogs had searched the area and declared it safe.
Ireland’s police force, An Garda Síochána, said it has been liaising with Irish media organizations and the threat will be investigated.
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin said the threats to RTE and others “just illustrates how relatively simple it can be to cause disruption and to undermine the normal operation of society through unconventional activities of this kind, which are designed to cause fear and anxiety.”
He said there would be a “very significant security operation” in place next week when Dublin hosts meetings of the European Political Community and European Union leaders.
Separately, U.K.-based broadcaster Sky said it had also received a “security threat.” In a statement reported by Sky News channel, it said that “we are working closely with authorities to ensure our people and operations remain secure.” Sky News remained on air.
It’s not clear if the incidents were linked.
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