KLM Flight to Tel Aviv Diverts to Bucharest Over Bomb Threat
A KLM flight from Amsterdam to Tel Aviv landed in Bucharest due to a bomb threat amid a broader wave of false alerts disrupting flights across Europe.
A KLM flight from Amsterdam to Tel Aviv made an unscheduled technical stop in Bucharest, Romania, on Thursday following a bomb threat near the aircraft. Security checks are currently underway at the airport.
The incident coincides with a wave of false bomb threats across Europe that disrupted dozens of flights. According to Reuters, at least 25 passenger flights received false alerts, forcing emergency landings and thorough security screenings in countries including France, Belgium, Bulgaria, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Romania.
In Romania, a Wizz Air flight from Milan to Bucharest also landed safely following a threat. Meanwhile, a flight carrying 151 passengers from Dublin to Rome was forced to land at an air force base in France, and four aircraft heading to Prague received threats in the Czech Republic.
The wave of alerts began earlier in the week, with similar threats targeting flights in Poland, Italy, Spain, and Bulgaria on Tuesday. Fighter jets were scrambled in several instances, though no explosives were found in any of the inspections.
European authorities have not yet determined whether the threats are linked, and no group has claimed responsibility. Aviation security experts suggest the primary objective may be to disrupt civil aviation across the continent, while it remains unconfirmed if the KLM flight threat is directly connected.
