Seven flights and a cruise ship in Europe have been disrupted by bomb threats, with planes searched at airports in Poland, Spain and Italy and another two aircraft diverted in Bulgaria.

Specialists inspected two passenger aircraft in Warsaw, one plane in Murcia, southern Spain, two planes in Rome and two planes in Bulgaria.

An Israel-bound cruise ship has also been searched for bombs in Greece.

An explosives detection dog and a diver searched the Panama-flagged Crown Iris cruise ship on the island of Syros after an unknown person said an explosive device had been attached to the boat’s hull, authorities said.

While no country pointed fingers over the bomb threats, 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. Moscow and Tehran both deny any such campaign.

One of the Warsaw flights was travelling from London Heathrow to the Polish capital’s main airport, Chopin, with 181 people on board. 

It was diverted to Warsaw Modlin airport, where specialists examined it after an unscheduled landing.

“At 9:54 am, a bomb threat alert was announced on board an aircraft operating a flight on the route London Heathrow (LHR) — Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW),” the airport said in a statement.

“At 10:01 am, a Boeing 737 MAX aircraft landed at Warsaw/Modlin Airport.”

a plane landing on a tarmac, all wheels on ground

An SAS aircraft flying from Copenhagen lands at Warsaw Chopin Airport after receiving a bomb threat. (Reuters: Piotr Bozyk)

Warsaw-Modlin airport temporarily closed but later said it had resumed operations.

A spokesperson for Polish airline LOT confirmed it was a LOT flight.

A second flight, from Copenhagen to Chopin airport, was also the subject of a bomb threat but the Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) aircraft landed as scheduled, and an airport spokesperson said the airport was continuing operations.

Chopin airport said no device was found and the airport remained operational.

Two inspected in Rome

Two Ryanair flights from Lisbon and Dublin were searched at Rome’s Fiumicino airport following anonymous tips about suspected bomb threats.

The flight from Dublin was escorted by the Italian Air Force until landing.

Bomb disposal experts carried out security protocols to ensure the safety of all passengers and crew.

Inspections of the passengers, luggage, and aircraft presented negative results, and the alert was cleared.

Spain and Bulgaria flights disrupted

In Spain, a Ryanair plane flying from Manchester made an emergency landing at Murcia airport after another threat was received.

Francisco Lucas, the Spanish government’s delegate in the Murcia region, said 121 people were on board, including crew.

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Bomb threats were made against planes travelling from Milan/Bergamo and Dublin to Sofia, Bulgaria’s transport ministry said in a statement to Reuters. 

Both landed safely and no explosive devices were found on inspection.

The Bergamo flight was operated by Wizz Air and was carrying 176 passengers, the statement said. The Dublin flight, operated by Ryanair, had 186 passengers on board.

BTA news agency quoted Interior Minister Secretary General Lyubomir Nikolov as saying counter terrorism units had checked the plane for possible explosive devices.

The incidents come one day after a Wizz Air flight from London Luton made an emergency landing in Budapest following a bomb threat. A Hungarian fighter jet escorted the plane.

Reuters