Bomb threats disrupt seven European flights, with no explosives found

A Wizz Air flight from London to Sofia diverted to Budapest on November 2 after a bomb threat. The aircraft and passengers were searched there, according to DER SPIEGEL.

The following day, threats affected flights across several European countries. What initially appeared in reports as four affected planes expanded to at least seven, with searches in Poland, Spain, Bulgaria and Italy.

On November 3, a LOT flight from London Heathrow to Warsaw Chopin was diverted to Warsaw Modlin after a bomb threat, Global News reported. Modlin temporarily closed, and DIE WELT reported that specialists were examining the aircraft, which carried 181 passengers.

A second Warsaw-bound aircraft, an SAS Scandinavian Airlines flight from Copenhagen, was checked at Chopin airport, according to The Hindu and CBC News. Modlin reopened around midday.

In Spain, a threat involving a Ryanair flight from Manchester prompted security procedures at Murcia airport, El Confidencial reported. Infobae subsequently reported that the airport reopened after being closed for more than two hours. Its report carries a November 3 publication date but an October 3 dateline, leaving that timing inconsistent.

Flights to Sofia were also affected. Deutsche Welle reported a threat against a flight from Israel, while NDTV News, citing Bulgaria's transport ministry, reported that a Wizz Air service from Milan/Bergamo to Sofia was targeted on November 3.

In Rome, two Ryanair aircraft were escorted by fighter jets before security checks of the planes, passengers and baggage found nothing, according to TGcom24. By the end of the day's reporting, Il Post counted seven affected flights and said all the alerts had proved unfounded.

The central finding is consistent across the later coverage: no explosive devices were discovered. Reuters reported disruption but no devices found, while The Local said authorities confirmed that all the affected planes landed safely.

The reported totals vary. EL PAIS counted six flights, the Financial Times reported seven aircraft grounded, and RTBF described roughly ten flights targeted. The supplied coverage does not reconcile those counts. Reporting published on November 4 by Al Jazeera put the number at seven.

The main unanswered questions are who issued the threats and whether they were connected. nu.nl reported that neither was known. The available coverage establishes disruption across multiple airports, but not a coordinated campaign or an identified perpetrator.