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Series of bomb threats cause flight disruptions across Europe

Series of bomb threats cause flight disruptions across Europe

LONDON — Bomb and security threats disrupted passenger flights across Europe Thursday, the latest in a series of incidents that have prompted emergency landings and security sweeps this week.

No explosives have so far been found, and it is not clear who or what is behind the calls. But the threats alone have caused disruption to Europe’s airspace and some of its busiest airports.

An Aer Lingus flight EI402 from Dublin to Rome carrying more than 150 people was diverted to a French Air Force base earlier Thursday, the airline said.

A bomb squad was at the Évreux-Fauville Air and Space Force base and all 151 passengers and six crew aboard the Aer Lingus flight had been moved to a safe place, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s office said in a statement.

A Finnair flight from Helsinki was escorted by Italian Air Force jets to Rome’s Fiumicino Airport “following anonymous reports of a suspected bomb threat,” according to a spokesperson for the city’s airport authority.

“Police bomb disposal experts have initiated security protocols, with safety checks currently underway,” they said.

A ⁠spokesperson for Finnair ​said ​one ⁠of ‌its flights to ‌Rome had ‌landed ⁠as normal after receiving a ‌bomb ​threat.

A second Finnair flight from ⁠Helsinki ⁠landed as ⁠normal in Vienna ​after ⁠receiving a ‌bomb threat, according to a spokesperson for the carrier.

In the Czech Republic, police said they had received threats about improvised explosive devices being place on four planes heading to the country’s capital Prague.

Media outlets in Bulgaria also reported that three aircraft had been forced to make emergency landings due to bomb threats, Reuters reported citing government ministers.

Belgian media also reported that an airliner forced to land at Brussels’ Zaventem airport ⁠belonged to the Polish airline LOT, according to Reuters.

Thursday’s incidents follow days of airline bomb threats that have forced multiple flights to divert and an airport in Poland to briefly close. No explosive devices were found in the earlier incidents, according to authorities in various countries.

A security operation was also launched at the Greek island port ⁠of Syros on Tuesday after a bomb threat ​to an Israel-bound cruise ship. Authorities said an unknown person claimed an explosive device had been attached to ⁠the hull of the Panama-flagged Crown Iris that was due to sail ⁠to Haifa.

Authorities have not indicated who could have been behind the incidents and there were no claims of responsibility.

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