Multiple Flights Across Europe Diverted After Wave of Bomb Threats

French authorities confirmed on Thursday that an aircraft travelling from Dublin to Rome had been rerouted to France following a suspected bomb threat. The flight was escorted by military aircraft after the alert was reported.

The French Air Force said it had dispatched aircraft “as soon as the threat was reported”. A statement from Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s office said the situation was being monitored.

Lecornu later confirmed that the aircraft had landed safely at Évreux. He said all 151 passengers and six crew members had been brought to safety, while bomb disposal teams were at the site.

Flight-tracking platform Flightradar24 also reported the diversion on X, identifying the aircraft as Aer Lingus flight EI402 from Dublin to Rome. It said the flight had declared an emergency using squawk code 7700 before diverting to Évreux-Fauville Air Base.

ITALY, AUSTRIA AND CZECH REPUBLIC ON ALERT

The security alerts extended to several other European countries, with additional flights facing bomb threats and emergency procedures.

Italian media reported bomb alerts involving two flights travelling to Rome and from Milan. Italian fighter jets escorted a flight originating in Helsinki into the Italian capital.

Flightradar24 also reported a disruption at Rome Fiumicino Airport, saying no aircraft had departed in the preceding 30 minutes. The reason for the disruption was not immediately known.

In Austria, a Jettime-operated flight from Helsinki to Vienna was targeted by a bomb threat, a Finnair spokesperson said. The aircraft landed safely in the Austrian capital, according to Euronews.

In the Czech Republic, police said four flights bound for Prague had received bomb threats, prompting airport authorities to prepare for emergency landings.

THREATS REPORTED ON THREE RYANAIR FLIGHTS

Bulgaria’s transport ministry said three Ryanair flights bound for Sofia had also been targeted by bomb threats.

Two aircraft, which had departed from Copenhagen and Madrid, landed safely in the Bulgarian capital. The third flight, originating in London, was diverted to Plovdiv, Euronews reported.

CYBERATTACKS TARGET SUPERMARKET REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS

The aviation alerts come days after seven European Union countries reported cyberattacks targeting supermarket refrigeration systems. The incidents caused refrigerator and freezer temperatures to rise, leading to large quantities of food being spoiled.

Belgium, Sweden, the Netherlands, Estonia, Luxembourg, Finland and Ireland were among the countries affected. The incidents came less than a month after a similar cyberattack disrupted hundreds of supermarkets in France on October 12.

According to Euronews, the latest attacks are believed to have taken place between Sunday night and Monday morning, with cybercriminals exploiting vulnerabilities in refrigeration systems.

The incidents have raised concerns about the security of remotely controlled refrigeration equipment and other operational technology systems. Equipment that was once operated manually can now be monitored and controlled remotely, creating potential vulnerabilities.

A European Commission spokesperson said the incidents underlined the importance of cybersecurity across the bloc.

“These incidents show that cyberattacks can disrupt services, affect businesses and directly affect citizens’ daily lives,” the spokesperson said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the latest attacks. Authorities have also not identified those behind the similar incidents reported in France last month.

With inputs from ANI