Following dozens of bomb scares yesterday, another day of high alert: a Ryanair flight from Rome bound for Lisbon landed in the Portuguese capital, where it was cleared of any threats. The Wizzair flight from Prague to Rome was diverted to Venice following an anonymous call. Dozens of alerts followed. The newsrooms of several media organisations in Dublin were also evacuated. The email was from “one of the leaders of the group responsible for the threats of attacks against aircraft in Europe over the past week”.
Investigation into the Ryanair Rome–Lisbon flight
Ryanair flight FR8197 from Lisbon to Rome took off more than two hours late following a false bomb scare. The Portuguese police are investigating the source of the threat, which was reported at 7.20 local time via international police cooperation channels. At that time, the aircraft bound for Rome was still approaching Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport at the end of its previous flight.
After landing, officers from the Portuguese police’s special unit inspected the aircraft. Passengers bound for Rome and their luggage underwent further checks before boarding. According to the FlightAware platform, the aircraft took off at around 10.45 local time, 11.45 in Italy.
Prague–Bucharest flight: ‘Non-specific threat’
A flight from Prague that landed at Henri Coanda International Airport in Bucharest was the subject of a bomb threat today. This was reported by the Romanian news agency Agerpres, citing the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI). According to the intelligence services, this is a “non-specific threat that does not require any concrete measures on the ground”. Similar threats concerning aircraft arriving in Bucharest had already been reported yesterday, but were subsequently found to be unfounded following checks carried out by the SRI
The claim of responsibility email received by The Irish Independent
“Hello. I am Mikhail Andropov, one of the leaders of the group responsible for the threats of attacks on aeroplanes in Europe over the past week. The European authorities have once again proved themselves to be incompetent fools, incapable of doing anything to stop us. We have tested a strategy based on simultaneous actions, succeeding in spreading panic on a massive scale and forcing the European authorities to spend a fortune on managing all the security procedures. But this is only the beginning. What has happened this week is merely a small part of what awaits Europe in the near future. We are preparing a new wave of attacks. We are recruiting residents of your countries who are actively collaborating with us. We have also gained access to compromised devices, servers and accounts belonging to both people living in Europe and individuals outside its borders; all of this will be used against you. Very soon we will blow up your aeroplanes, cruise ships, underground stations and trains. In the meantime, I advise you to treat yourselves to a holiday by plane, whilst you still have the chance. We want the whole world to know who we are; for this reason, one of our agents has planted an explosive device in your building. The explosion will take place in 45 minutes. The clock is ticking”
Security: bomb scare on flights in France; planes landed safely
“Today, there were four new bomb scares against aircraft flying over French territory. The aircraft landed safely. Bomb disposal teams are carrying out security checks. An investigation is under way to determine the source of these scares, which affect the whole of Europe.” The office of the French prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, announced this
Threats to Dublin newsrooms: “Staff safety is our top priority”
The bomb scare was sent by email to RTE, the private radio station Newstalk and other Irish media outlets. Prime Minister Micheßl Martin said the police and armed forces were investigating the threats, but that it was still too early to determine whether they were the work of a single individual or part of a coordinated operation. Presenters and staff were evacuated from the public broadcaster’s headquarters in the Donnybrook neighbourhood, in south Dublin, where officers intervened with the assistance of canine units. As a precaution, RTE switched to pre-recorded programmes, whilst Radio 1’s Today programme was broadcast from a mobile production unit. The broadcaster has assured the public that staff safety is a priority and that normal programming will resume as soon as possible, following consultation with the police. The offices of Mediahuis and Independent News Media on Talbot Street in the centre of the capital were also evacuated as a precaution, and staff who had not yet arrived were asked to work from home until the all-clear was given. Virgin Media also received the threat but continued broadcasting without evacuating its studios.
Several newsrooms in Ireland suspended their broadcasts
RTÉ Radio One’s programme ‘Today With David McCullagh’ was interrupted this morning and replaced by music, whilst staff gathered outside the buildings on the Donnybrook campus. Staff from other media outlets, including Newstalk Radio, Today FM, Virgin Media and the Irish Independent, were also evacuated. Radio One’s regular broadcasts resumed at 10.13am, according to The Guardian. The alert came in the form of an email, received before 9am, warning of an explosion within 45 minutes. The police, assisted by sniffer dogs, attended the scene.
Threats at Copenhagen Airport
New threats against air traffic at Copenhagen Airport. Danish police were called to the airport this morning to investigate the reports, whilst a flight is said to have been diverted following a bomb scare. “We are back at Copenhagen Airport today in connection with direct threats to air traffic,” the police said in a statement
Two media offices evacuated in Dublin
The offices of two Irish media organisations, the public broadcaster RTE and the daily newspaper The Irish Independent, were evacuated in Dublin following a bomb scare. This was reported by the two organisations themselves. RTE’s Dublin headquarters was evacuated after receiving an email containing the threat, which was sent to the broadcaster earlier that morning. According to a statement on the broadcaster’s website, the same message was also sent to other media organisations in Ireland and the United Kingdom. The Irish Independent newspaper also confirmed that it had received the threat and had ordered the evacuation of staff
Bomb scare on at least eight flights arriving at and departing from Prague
At least eight flights arriving at and departing from Prague Airport have been affected by bomb scares. The company that operates the airport in the Czech capital reported this.
Bomb scare on Prague-Rome flight; report received in the Czech capital
According to information gathered from investigative sources, the bomb scare concerning the Prague-Rome flight – which was subsequently diverted to Venice – is believed to have been received in Prague and not at the Fiumicino control tower, as initially reported. Bomb disposal operations are currently underway on the Wizzair aircraft that landed in Venice.
Bomb scares on four flights over France; all have landed safely
Four new bomb scares have been reported on aircraft flying over France. The French prime minister’s office announced this. All the aircraft have landed safely; bomb disposal experts are carrying out inspections and an investigation is under way to determine the source of the scares, which affect the whole of Europe, the office said.
Prague–Rome flight diverted to Venice
Another bomb scare has been triggered on a Wizzair flight from Prague to Rome. The report of a bomb on board, according to reports, came via an anonymous email to the Fiumicino control tower. The flight, which was due to arrive in the capital at 11am, was diverted to Venice, where it landed. Police are currently carrying out a security sweep.
Bomb scare on Rome-Lisbon flight
According to reports, the aircraft in question is a Ryanair Boeing 737-8AS, flight FR8196 operated by Malta Air, which departed from Fiumicino at 6.05am, the aircraft was forced this morning to carry out a security procedure upon arrival at 7.55am at Lisbon Airport following a bomb scare received by the Portuguese Public Security Police via a telephone call from a member of the law-enforcement agencies, whose identity was verified by members of the Judicial Police.