A fresh wave of bomb threats disrupted air travel across Europe on Thursday, November 5, forcing more than a dozen flights to divert or undergo security checks in the second major aviation security scare within a week.
Authorities across several European countries launched investigations and precautionary security operations following the threats. No explosive devices have been discovered in the incidents where searches have been completed, according to officials.
Four flights were diverted in the Czech Republic after an anonymous email warning of explosives was received by multiple airports, including Prague’s Václav Havel Airport.
Italy was also affected, with two flights bound for Rome’s Fiumicino Airport receiving bomb threats. A flight travelling from Dublin was diverted to Normandy, France, while a Finnair aircraft arriving from Helsinki was escorted safely to Rome by Italian Air Force fighter jets.
Airport operator Aeroporti di Roma conducted security inspections and reported finding no evidence of explosives.
Anonymous Emails Raise Questions About Coordinated Threats
Authorities are investigating the origins of the warnings, including an email received by a company associated with Rome’s airport.
The message, reportedly sent by a group identifying itself as the anti-feminist organization Male State, claimed that explosives had been placed aboard two flights travelling to the Italian capital.
However, investigators have not established who was responsible for the wider series of threats or whether the incidents across different countries were coordinated.
European Union officials have cautioned that it is too early to determine whether the threats are connected.
Aviation Expert Raises Possibility of Hybrid Warfare
The incidents have also prompted concerns about potential hybrid warfare, a strategy involving disruptive activities such as cyberattacks, sabotage and threats against critical infrastructure.
Eric Schouten, head of aviation security firm Dyami, suggested that investigators should consider the possibility of Russian involvement, although no evidence has been publicly established linking Moscow to Thursday’s threats.
Schouten noted that several affected countries, including Denmark, Poland and Romania, have supported Ukraine during Russia’s ongoing invasion.
Those countries have previously accused Russia of conducting hybrid operations intended to destabilize European infrastructure and institutions.
Russia has denied involvement in hybrid warfare.
The group identifying itself as Male State has also attracted attention because of its reported Russian origins.
According to research by the Netherlands-based International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, the organization emerged in Russia in 2016 as a misogynistic online movement and subsequently became an active supporter of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
However, the group’s alleged involvement in the aviation threats remains unverified, and there is no confirmed connection between the anonymous messages and the Russian government.
Passengers Continue Travelling Despite Disruptions
Despite the security alerts, passengers at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport largely continued with their travel plans after authorities completed precautionary inspections.
The latest incidents have renewed concerns about the vulnerability of European aviation to anonymous threats capable of triggering widespread disruption even when no explosives are found.
Investigations remain underway to identify those responsible and determine whether the repeated warnings form part of a broader coordinated campaign targeting European air travel.
