Lucrezia Ciotti A tense morning in European skies on Thursday, November 5, 2026, when three airliners were hit by bomb threats . The incidents affected flights between Dublin and Rome, Milan Malpensa and Warsaw, and Helsinki and Rome, triggering emergency procedures and, in two cases, a change of destination. Fighter jets were also mobilized, while authorities began checks to verify the credibility of the threats.
False bomb scares in Europe: other flights also involved
The three incidents add to a series of similar reports recorded in recent days in several European countries. Over the course of the week, approximately ten flights were reportedly affected by false bomb threats . Four of the incidents involved Ryanair flights: Manchester-Murcia, Lisbon-Rome, Dublin-Rome, and Dublin-Sofia.
Three more reports resulted in diversions to Bulgarian airports. According to bTV , citing the Interior Minister, two planes from Copenhagen and Madrid were forced to land in Sofia, while a third, arriving from London, landed at Plovdiv. This series of incidents affected several international flights and prompted authorities to intensify checks to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.
Fear in European skies, three bomb alerts in a matter of minutes: what's happening?
The first incident involved an Aer Lingus Airbus A320 , which took off from the Irish capital at 6:25 a.m. and was headed to Rome Fiumicino. While over Essonne, south of Paris, the captain altered course following a possible bomb threat . The aircraft initially reversed direction, performing several high-altitude maneuvers, before heading toward Normandy and reaching the Évreux-Fauville military base.
French Air Force fighter jets were deployed to accompany the aircraft , confirming that they had taken to the skies "to intercept the plane." A subsequent statement clarified that the aircraft had been "diverted and escorted to Evreux." According to information reported by Le Figaro , there were 151 passengers and six crew members on board, all of whom were safely disembarked after landing. A Rafale fighter jet followed the Airbus during the diversion, while bomb disposal experts prepared to carry out checks inside the cabin. The French Prime Minister's Office also announced that it was closely monitoring the situation.
Another report concerned Wizz Air flight W4 6387 , operated by an Airbus A321. Having departed Milan Malpensa at 7:00 a.m. and bound for Warsaw, the flight was forced to change its destination , arriving at Vienna Airport after a threat received during the flight. The Hungarian airline itself confirmed the incident in an official statement: " Today's Milan Malpensa-Warsaw flight (W4 6387) has been diverted to Vienna following a bomb threat received during the flight ." The company also explained that the decision was made in accordance with the required security measures, ensuring cooperation with the authorities and reiterating that " the safety and security of our passengers and crew members continue to be our absolute priority ."
The third incident involved a Finnair plane from Helsinki to Rome. Following anonymous reports, the aircraft was accompanied by Italian Air Force jets to Fiumicino Airport, where it landed safely around 9:30 a.m. Police bomb squads immediately went into action , tasked with clearing the aircraft and inspecting it. According to airport sources, the checks did not cause any delays in operations at the airport. The alarm was later classified as unfounded , as Stiina Tuunanen , Finnair's communications manager, told Finnish broadcaster Yle.