New bomb threats cause diversions across Europe
A flight from Dublin to Rome was diverted to a French military base; authorities say several aircraft were searched.
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European passenger flights were disrupted again on Thursday by bomb threats. A flight from Dublin to Rome was diverted to the French military base near Évreux, where everyone on board landed safely.
According to the office of French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, the flight was operated by Aer Lingus and carried 151 passengers and six crew members. The aircraft landed safely in Évreux, in Normandy. French bomb-disposal experts examined the plane.
The flight changed course over France and, according to flight data, made several loops before flying to the military base. French authorities initially gave no further details about the origin or content of the threat.
The incident did not occur in isolation. According to the French authorities and AP, several flights in Europe received bomb threats this week. Some aircraft were diverted or searched; no explosives were found in earlier incidents.
The threats came shortly after a series of similar warnings on European flights. Among other things, aircraft were directed to different airports and one plane was escorted by Italian fighter jets. That does not yet mean the incidents were coordinated.
For travellers, the threats can lead to delays and additional security checks. Airports and airlines may initiate security procedures even when no explosive device is found afterwards.
In some cases, authorities have described the reports as false or malicious, but at the time of publication there was still no definitive conclusion about the reliability of the warning in the new incident near Évreux.
The new diversion is therefore primarily a security incident, not confirmation of a broader attack campaign. An investigation must determine who made the reports, whether there are links between them and how serious the actual threat was.
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The new diversion, the number of people on board and the safe landing were directly confirmed by AP. The broader series of incidents is supported by multiple sources, while coordination and intent are presented as uncertain.
- confirmed A flight from Dublin to Rome was diverted to Évreux on 5 November. — AP bases this on the French prime minister’s office. source
- confirmed There were 151 passengers and six crew members on board. — This number appears in the AP report. source
- confirmed Several European flights received bomb threats this week. — AP reports several incidents and refers to authorities. source
- uncertain The reports were coordinated. — The sources describe the series but do not confirm coordination. source
Editor's note
The diversion to Évreux and the safe landing have been confirmed. A link between the various reports, the identity of those who made them and whether all the reports were false had not yet been established.Sources
- Bomb threat diverts Dublin-Rome flight to French military air base — Associated Press
- Bomb threats on European flights cause diversions, emergency landings on November 5 — Khaleej Times / Reuters
- Seven planes across Europe searched or diverted after ‘malicious hoax’ bomb threats — The Guardian
More on this in Dutch media
- NOS — „luchtvaart bommelding”
- Het Parool — „luchtvaart bommelding”
- Trouw — „luchtvaart bommelding”