Airport in Poland temporarily closes as bomb threats force several flights into emergency landings across Europe

Flights diverted on Tuesday

At least seven flights in Europe were subjected to bomb threats on Tuesday, forcing several planes to divert. Modlin airport in Poland was briefly closed while an aircraft was searched, then reopened after no device was found.

A flight to Dublin carried 185 passengers, according to Bulgaria’s transport ministry, and no explosives were found onboard. A Wizz Air flight from Bergamo to Sofia landed safely with 176 passengers.

Threat reported in Spain

A Ryanair flight carrying 114 passengers from Manchester landed in Murcia, in southeastern Spain, after a bomb threat was reported, according to Diari ARA. Parts of the airport were cordoned off on Tuesday.

Officials said the threat was a hoax. The airport returned to normal operations after authorities found no explosives on the aircraft.

Earlier diversion to Budapest

The latest incidents followed a Wizz Air flight from London to Sofia that was diverted to Budapest airport on Monday after receiving a bomb threat, Hungarian defence minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi said in a Facebook post. Ruszin-Szendi wrote that the Hungarian Air Force’s air defense readiness service had again proved itself in a critical situation.

Disruption raises wider concerns

The diversions involved hundreds of passengers, while the temporary airport closures added to disruption. The events raise concerns about how easily agitators can interfere with flights and airport operations. The article reports that at least one threat was confirmed as a hoax, and that searches in the cited incidents found no explosives.