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A fresh wave of bomb threats disrupted European air traffic and targeted several media organizations on Friday. The incidents marked an expansion of similar alerts that affected dozens of flights earlier in the week.
Media Outlets and Broadcasters Targeted
British broadcaster Sky reported receiving a bomb threat. A spokesperson stated that the organization conducted a security assessment and reported the incident to the relevant authorities.
Bulgaria’s Nova TV and Irish public broadcaster RTE also received emailed bomb threats. The messages came from a sender claiming to be “Mikhail Andropov” under the headline “Message to the West,” framing the threats as a warning of further disruptions across Europe.
RTE briefly evacuated staff, including television and radio presenters, from its Dublin facility after the email arrived on Friday morning. RTE Radio One presenter David McCullagh informed listeners that the message claimed a bomb would detonate within 45 minutes.
The Irish government stated that hoax bomb claims were additionally sent to Virgin Media, Newstalk radio, and The Irish Independent newspaper, adding that the origin of the messages remains unclear. The government noted in a statement that these threats follow ongoing aviation disruptions caused by similar alerts, indicating a likely coordinated campaign.
Air Traffic and Aviation Disruption
The latest disruptions follow Thursday’s incidents, which affected more than two dozen flights across Europe, as well as earlier alerts directed at other aircraft and a cruise ship.
Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi reported that fighter jets escorted airliners traveling from Brussels to Sofia, and from Prague to Bucharest and Cyprus, through Hungarian airspace on Friday due to bomb threats. He added that NATO ordered an air patrol near the Hungarian-Romanian border, marking the first time the Western defense alliance became involved.
Danish police reported threats directed at traffic at Copenhagen airport, though passengers faced no apparent danger, and the airport maintained normal operations. Czech police logged bomb threats targeting nine flights arriving in or departing from Prague, though an airport spokesperson confirmed no flights were cancelled.
French authorities stated that four new bomb threats targeted aircraft flying over French territory, with all planes landing safely. Additional incidents included a Ryanair flight from Rome landing on schedule in Lisbon, as reported by CNN Portugal, and a WizzAir flight from Prague to Rome being diverted to Venice.
European air traffic authority Eurocontrol announced on Friday that it is monitoring the situation and collaborating with airlines, airports, and navigation service providers to mitigate disruptions to air traffic flows.
Officials Express Concern Over Hybrid Aggression
Al Jazeera’s Frances Read, reporting from London, noted that although the threats have lacked credibility so far, the widening disruptions are drawing serious government attention regarding potential origins and long-term solutions.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated that it remains unconfirmed whether the hoax threats are linked to recent cyberattacks that targeted supermarkets across Europe and France’s national blood service by manipulating internet-connected refrigerators and freezers. Meloni told reporters that the incidents collectively demonstrate that civilian infrastructures are currently under attack.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares described the aircraft bomb threats as an attempt at hybrid aggression, psychological warfare, and an assault on European democracy by autocratic forces, emphasizing to Spanish broadcaster RTVE that the timing is clearly not coincidental.
