At least seven passenger flights across Europe were targeted by bomb threats on Tuesday, November 3, triggering searches, diversions and temporary airport restrictions in Poland, Bulgaria, Italy and Spain. All affected aircraft landed safely, and authorities found no explosive devices during the checks.
The disruption was particularly visible in Warsaw, where a LOT service from London Heathrow was diverted from Chopin Airport to nearby Modlin. The airport was briefly closed while the aircraft was inspected, then reopened after the search found nothing. A Scandinavian Airlines flight from Copenhagen landed at Chopin as scheduled and was also checked.
Bulgaria’s transport ministry confirmed threats against two flights bound for Sofia: a Wizz Air service from Bergamo carrying 176 passengers and a Ryanair flight from Dublin with 186 people on board. Both aircraft landed safely and inspections found no devices.
At Rome’s Fiumicino Airport, two Ryanair flights arriving from Lisbon and Dublin were searched. The Dublin service was escorted by Italian Air Force aircraft before landing. Airport operator ADR said the alerts were cleared and operations continued normally. In Spain, parts of Murcia Airport were cordoned off after a threat involving a Ryanair flight from Manchester; officials later confirmed that no explosives were found.
Separate alert on a cruise ship in Greece
A separate bomb warning prompted a search of the Crown Iris cruise ship at the Greek island port of Syros. The Panama-flagged vessel was due to sail to Haifa with 940 passengers and 597 crew members. Initial checks found no explosive device, while further inspections were planned before the ship could resume its voyage.
Authorities have not said whether the incidents are connected. No group has claimed responsibility, and officials have not attributed the threats to any country. The UK government described the warnings affecting flights departing Britain as malicious hoaxes. An aviation security specialist told Reuters that seven confirmed threats in one day was exceptional and could point to an effort to disrupt air travel.
