A new wave of bomb threats targeting passenger aircraft across Europe disrupted air travel on Thursday, forcing several planes to make emergency landings or divert to alternative airports, while some flights were escorted by fighter jets as part of heightened security measures.

The latest incidents marked the second wave of bomb threats affecting European aviation this week. Security checks carried out on the affected aircraft found no explosives or suspicious devices.

An Aer Lingus flight travelling from Dublin to Rome was diverted to Évreux Airport in France after receiving a bomb threat. The aircraft landed safely and security teams carried out inspections following the incident.

A Finnair flight from Helsinki to Rome was also affected by a security alert and was escorted by Italian Air Force fighter jets before landing safely at its destination.

In Bulgaria, three aircraft made security landings after bomb threats were reported. Flights arriving from Copenhagen and Madrid landed in Sofia, while another aircraft from London was diverted to Plovdiv, according to Bulgarian officials.

Belgian media reported that another passenger aircraft diverted to Brussels Zaventem Airport belonged to Poland’s LOT airline. Other airlines, including LOT, Wizz Air and Finnair, were also among carriers affected by the alerts.

The latest bomb threats followed similar incidents earlier this week, when at least seven flights and a passenger ship were targeted across Europe. Security searches found no explosive devices in those incidents either.

No country or group has been officially identified as being behind the threats. However, the repeated incidents have renewed concerns in Europe over possible hybrid attacks, sabotage attempts and efforts to disrupt critical infrastructure.

Security experts have warned that even false bomb threats can cause significant disruption by forcing emergency responses, delaying flights and placing additional pressure on aviation security systems.(ILKHA)