Aer Lingus Flight Diverted to French Air Base Amid European Bomb Scares

An Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome was diverted to a military air base in France on Thursday following a bomb threat, as part of a coordinated wave of security alerts affecting at least 25 flights across Europe.

Flight EI402, an Airbus A320 carrying 151 passengers and six crew members, declared an emergency over France by squawking code 7700. According to local prosecutors, the Irish pilot initially resisted instructions to land at the Évreux-Fauville Air Base, preferring a civilian airport, which prompted the French military to scramble two fighter jets to escort the aircraft to the military facility.

Sigal, the only Israeli passenger on board, described a harrowing experience. "About an hour after takeoff, the pilot announced a technical problem requiring a landing in Paris. After several aborted landing attempts, a flight attendant explained there was a bomb threat and we were heading to a military base," she recounted. Passengers later disembarked into an open field where bomb-sniffing dogs inspected luggage, before being hosted in a military hangar with food and medical teams.

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu's office confirmed the safe landing and evacuation of all occupants, while bomb disposal units swept the aircraft. Local prosecutor Rémy Coutin stated that an investigation has been launched regarding the pilot's initial refusal to follow landing directives.

Across Europe, similar security incidents disrupted operations in countries including Italy, Bulgaria, Spain, the Czech Republic, Poland, Belgium, Romania, Austria, and Denmark. Notably, a LOT Polish Airlines flight from Warsaw to Brussels landed safely following a bomb threat, while another Warsaw-to-Rome flight was halted on the tarmac for security checks, though no hazardous items were found in either case.