12 flights diverted in Europe after bomb threats

Aer Lingus flight 408, traveling from Dublin to Rome, landed on the tarmac of a military air base in Evreux, France, after receiving a bomb threat. The aircraft sits under an overcast sky near a Red Cross vehicle, with metal gates restricting access to the base. Authorities have not released the location of the passengers or crew while explosives experts inspect the plane.

This incident is part of a wider disruption affecting more than a dozen flights across Europe on Thursday. Departures from Copenhagen, Dublin, Helsinki, Madrid, Milan, and Warsaw were targeted by threats. The events follow a series of hoax bomb threats earlier in the week that prompted searches, diversions, and a military escort for one aircraft.

Finnair reported that two of its flights, AY1761 from Helsinki to Rome and AY1471 from Helsinki to Vienna, faced similar unfounded threats. Both planes landed safely at their destinations, and customers have disembarked. The airline stated that no suspicious materials were found on either aircraft. The flight to Rome will be inspected before returning to Helsinki, and the flight to Vienna will return to traffic after inspection.

In the Czech Republic, police deployed to Prague’s Vaclav Havel Airport after receiving threats of explosive devices on four inbound planes. Officials stated that all necessary security measures were activated for the arrivals. Subsequent searches of the four aircraft found nothing suspicious. Police did not specify the origin cities of the four flights.

Authorities noted that such threats are not new but occur amid increased geopolitical tensions. Recent signs of disruption have included attacks on supermarket refrigeration systems, drone incursions in European airspace, and mysterious triggers for alert apps. The current round of diversions marks the latest escalation in this pattern of aviation security incidents.

No hazardous or suspicious materials have been found in the inspections so far. The Aer Lingus aircraft remains at the Evreux base, while the Finnair planes are undergoing their respective return procedures. Czech police have cleared their four affected flights after the searches concluded.