Two UK airports have received hoax bomb threats on Wednesday, according to a report, after several flights across Europe were grounded following similar threats.
The threats at Heathrow and Birmingham airports were resolved quickly with no impact to flights, The Times reported. Heathrow did not deem the hoax threats to be credible.
It comes after bomb threats forced more emergency flight landings across Europe on Thursday morning.
Reports of bomb alerts against flights across the region are still coming in as of 11am on Thursday, with two Milan-bound flights landing safely following threats.
Flights from London, Dublin, Madrid, Copenhagen and Helsinki, were also among those that made emergency landings in France, Bulgaria and Belgium.
Aer Lingus flight EI402 from Dublin to Rome landed safely at Evreux airport, 100 km west of Paris, after being diverted as a security precaution, while a flight from London emergency landed in Plovdiv, local media said.
It comes after a series of bomb threats earlier this week caused similar emergency landings, prompting serious concerns over the threat of information warfare during a week that has also seen cyber attacks on supermarket fridges and blood banks in Europe.
Key Points
- Breaking: New bomb alerts on Milan-bound flights
- Which flights have been affected?
- Bomb threats ground flights across Europe
- In pictures: Aer Lingus flight from Dublin grounded in France
Planes touch down across Europe following bomb threats
14:59 , Alex Croft
UK government responds to threats at Heathrow and Birmingham airports
14:50 , Alex CroftThe UK government has responded to the threats reported at Heathrow and Birmingham airports.
“Threats reported at Heathrow and Birmingham in the early hours of this morning have been resolved,” the spokesperson said.
“It’s right that authorities treat any potential threats seriously — the UK has one of the most robust aviation security systems in the world, with well-tested processes for dealing with any threats, as well as malicious hoaxes, like those we’ve seen this week.”
Two UK airports 'targeted by bomb threats' - report
14:31 , Alex CroftHeathrow and Birmingham airports both received hoax bomb threats on Wednesday, after dozens of flights were affected across Europe, according to a report.
Both threats were resolved quickly with no impact to flights, The Times reported.
Heathrow did not deem the hoax threats to be credible.
Metropolitan Police are continuing to monitor the situation, the outlet reported.
The Latest: Flights diverted in Europe over bomb threats
14:10 , Maira ButtFlights from across Europe were diverted or forced to make emergency landings on Thursday because of bomb threats, authorities said. So far inspections have not turned up hazardous or suspicious materials.
The incidents followed hoax bomb threats earlier this week that prompted searches, diversions and, in one case, a military escort.
More than a dozen flights were targeted, included those from Copenhagen, Dublin, Helsinki, Madrid, Milan and Warsaw.
The Latest: Flights diverted in Europe over bomb threats
Recap: Polish Airlines flight diverted to Warsaw Modlin Airport following a reported bomb threat
13:50 , Maira ButtUK government says threats have been 'resolved'
13:30 , Maira ButtThreats made to UK flights on Thursday have now been resolved, according to a statement by the UK government.
A UK government spokesperson said: “Threats made to UK flights today have been resolved.
“It's right that authorities treat any potential threat seriously - the UK has one of the most robust aviation security systems in the world, with well-tested processes for dealing with any threats, as well as malicious hoaxes, like those we've seen this week.
“The Met’s Aviation Policing Command is keeping the situation under review and liaising with the relevant authorities."”
No issues identified in inspections after three bomb threats, says bulgaria
13:09 , Alex CroftThe inspections of three Ryanair aircraft that received bomb threats and landed at Bulgarian airports earlier on Thursday did not identify any issues, the country’s transport ministry has said.
"Upon landing, the necessary inspections were carried out in accordance with the applicable procedures and no issues were identified," Bulgaria's transport ministry told Reuters.
Airport operations at both Sofia and Plovdiv airports have returned to normal, it said.
Finnair says flights 'landed safely'
13:00 , Maira ButtFinnair said two flights were affected by bomb threats but landed safely at destinations
The company said that two of its flights, AY1761 from Helsinki to Rome and AY1471 from Helsinki to Vienna, faced unfounded or hoax bomb threats Thursday.
“Both flights landed safely at their destinations, and customers have disembarked the aircraft,” it said.
Nothing suspicious were found on the planes, it added. The plane to Rome was inspected and will depart back to Helsinki, while the flight to Vienna will “return to traffic normally after inspection.”
Bomb threat made on Wizz Air Milan-Bucharest flight
12:50 , Alex CroftWe’ve now heard from the Romanian intelligence agency, which says a bomb threat was made on a Wizz Air flight from Milan to Bucharest.
They added that the plane landed safely in the Romanian capital.
In pictures: Finnair plane escorted to Rome amid bomb threats
12:30 , Maira ButtA Finnair aircraft on the tarmac at Fiumicino Airport, after a Finnair plane from Helsinki was safely escorted to its scheduled landing in Rome by Italian Air Force jets following bomb threats that forced airliners to make unplanned landings across Europe, in Fiumicino, near Rome, Italy, 5 November.
What else has happened in Europe this week?
12:10 , Alex CroftBomb threats are not the first signs of a potential hybrid war being waved in Europe this week.
Earlier in the week, unidentified hackers shut down fridges in supermarkets in several European countries.
Fridges and freezers were hacked, with thermostats remotely cranked up in some cases to 50C (122F), while others have been set to “defrost” mode, putting the heat to 15C rather than minus 22C.
Hundreds of shops were targeted by the overnight cyberattack, which caused millions of Euros worth of fresh and frozen food to be spoiled.
On Wednesday, blood banks in France were hit by a cyberattack - although there was no damage to blood products in the centres in question.
Questions of any link between the incidents remain unanswered.
Bomb hoaxes come as Europe accuses Russia of 'hybrid attacls'
11:51 , Alex CroftNo country has attributed blame for the threats, whether to a nation state adversary or other hostile actors.
But they come at a time when European officials have been blaming both Russia and Iran for what they describe as "hybrid attacks" and acts of sabotage.
This week, for example, unidentified hackers shut down fridges in supermarkets in several European countries.
Moscow and Tehran both deny any such campaign.
Bomb alert caused no disruption at Rome Fiumicino, says operator
11:35 , Alex CroftA bomb alert on a Finnair plane escorted by air force jets to the Italian capital caused no disruption at Rome's Fiumicino airport, the company that operates the hub said on Thursday.
"All verification and clearance operations were completed with negative results, with no impact whatsoever on the airport's normal operations," airport operator ADR said in a statement.
No explosives found on four planes that emergency landed in Prague
11:21 , Alex CroftNo explosives were found on four planes which had received bomb threats before landing in Prague on Thursday, CTK news agency cited a police spokesperson as saying.
There have so far been no reports of devices being found on the flights in Europe.
BREAKING: New bomb alerts on Milan-bound flights
11:14 , Alex CroftNew bomb alerts have been recorded on two flights bound for Milan’s Malpensa airport, according to the Ansa news agency.
Both planes landed safely, the agency said.
Stay with us for the latest.
ICYMI: Bomb threats force several flights into emergency landings across Europe on Tuesday
11:13 , Alex CroftAt least seven flights in Europe were subjected to bomb threats on Tuesday, forcing several planes to divert and an airport in Poland to close in a day of chaos on Tuesday.
“Malicious” bomb scares on two flights from London, and others from Manchester, Copenhagen, Israel, Dublin, Bergamo and Lisbon threw airports into disarray, with authorities searching planes after some of the flights went through emergency landings.
The diversion of the flights with hundreds of passengers on board, and temporary closures of airports, raises concerns over the ease with which agitators can cause major disruption.
Read our full report on the bomb threats on Tuesday:
Bomb threats force several flights into emergency landings across Europe
In pictures: Aer Lingus flight from Dublin grounded in France
11:03 , Alex Croft
Which flights have been affected?
10:58 , Alex CroftHere is what we know so far about the affected flights.
- Aer Lingus flight EI402 from Dublin to Rome landed safely at Evreux airport, 100 km west of Paris, after being diverted as a security precaution, the Irish airline said in a statement.
- Belgian media reported that an airliner forced to land at Brussels' Zaventem airport belonged to the Polish airline LOT.
- A Finnair plane from Helsinki was safely escorted to its scheduled landing in Rome by the Italian air force, a source told Reuters.
- Bulgarian officials reported three aircraft making emergency landings because of bomb threats.
- Airplanes flying from Copenhagen and Madrid landed in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia, the interior minister said, according to broadcaster bTV.
- A third aircraft, from London, landed in Plovdiv, local media said.
Bomb threats ground flights across Europe
10:53 , Alex CroftBomb threats have forced emergency landings across Europe for the second time this week, authorities said.
Flights from London, Dublin, Madrid, Copenhagen and Helsinki, were among those that made emergency landings in France, Bulgaria and Belgium.
It comes after a series of bomb hoaxes earlier this week caused similar emergency landings, prompting serious concerns over the threat of information warfare in a week that has also seen cyber attacks on supermarket fridges and blood banks in Europe.
Follow our live blogs for all the latest updates on the incidents.
