A new wave of bomb hoaxes affected 27 passenger flights across Europe, Reuters reports. The threats led to diversions and searches of aircraft on the tarmac, according to NBC News, which described the disruption as a wave of bomb threats against European airliners.
Coverage of the incidents varied in scope. The Guardian reported that at least 15 flights were disrupted and said the episode has raised fears of hybrid warfare, while Bloomberg described it as a second wave of aircraft bomb threats facing European airlines. Yahoo reported that bomb threats have disrupted more than 20 flights across the continent this week. The differing figures reflect reporting at different stages of the week rather than a single confirmed total.
The hoaxes follow an earlier round of similar threats against European carriers this week, which is why Bloomberg characterized the latest incidents as a second wave. No further details on the nature of the threats, their origins, or the outcomes of the tarmac searches were available in the reporting summarized here.
Authorities have not publicly attributed the hoaxes to any group or state, and no claim of responsibility was cited in the coverage. The disruption comes as European aviation security officials contend with repeated, apparently coordinated false alarms that force costly diversions and ground searches.
What to watch next: whether investigators link the two waves of hoaxes and whether European regulators announce any change to security procedures for carriers operating in the region.
