Aer Lingus Dublin to Rome flight diverted to France after bomb threat

An Aer Lingus Airbus A320 carrying 151 passengers and six crew members was forced to divert to France’s Évreux airbase on Thursday morning following a bomb alert. The flight, designated EI402, had departed Dublin at 6:24am and was en route to Rome Fiumicino Airport when the security precaution was initiated.

The aircraft landed safely in the Normandy region, where it was met by a bomb squad. Passengers and crew were moved to a secure location while authorities assessed the threat. The flight landed safely and Aer Lingus will work to reaccommodate customers to their final destination as soon as possible, the airline stated.

The Sequence of the Diversion

The plane followed a standard route across the English Channel before veering southwest of Paris. The aircraft circled Chartres airport before diverting towards Évreux, and the original bomb threat alert reportedly came from the Italian authorities. According to reports from Le Figaro, the Airbus was intercepted and escorted on its final approach to the airbase by a French Rafale fighter jet. The office of French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed that the situation is currently under active monitoring. DAA head of communications Graeme McQueen noted that while such incidents are treated with extreme seriousness, the primary focus remains on passenger safety, as reported by RTÉ. Speaking on RTÉ‘s Today with David McCullagh, Mr McQueen said safety comes first in these instances. He added: [It] will be taken very seriously, everything will be investigated there, but thankfully that flight that diverted into France has landed safely this morning.

The Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (IALPA) emphasized the operational impact of such events, stating that any abnormal or unexpected event increases the workload in the cockpit, placing additional demands on pilots working in an already high-pressure environment. The association further highlighted that pilots remain highly trained professionals, equipped to manage complex and high-pressure situations, including potential security threats.

Widespread Disruption Across European Airspace

The diversion of flight EI402 was part of a broader wave of security incidents impacting aviation across the continent. More than ten passenger planes were forced into emergency landings across Europe today. In Belgium, a flight operated by LOT Polish Airlines landed safely at Brussels’ Zaventem airport following a security warning. Le Soir reported the Brussels landing followed a suspicious report. A spokesperson for the airline confirmed that an onboard inspection was conducted, stating, No suspicious items were found. A Finnair jet from Helsinki was escorted to Rome by the Italian air force.

Bulgarian officials reported three separate emergency landings due to bomb threats. The interior minister confirmed the Sofia landings, according to broadcaster bTV. Two Ryanair aircraft flying from Copenhagen and Madrid were diverted to Sofia, while a third plane arriving from London landed in Plovdiv. An SAS flight from Copenhagen landed at Warsaw’s Chopin Airport for checks. Meanwhile, an Aegean Airlines flight from Thessaloniki and a Ryanair flight from Porto both arrived at their destinations in Milan after receiving threats. Czech police also confirmed that four planes bound for Prague faced bomb alerts, though they assessed the credibility of the threats as low. After landing, all aircraft will undergo pyrotechnic inspections, and no explosives were found on the four planes. Nevertheless, we are not underestimating the threat, which is why all necessary security measures have been activated with minimal impact on passengers and airport operations, police stated.

Context of Hybrid Threats

These incidents follow a pattern of disruption seen two days earlier, when seven flights across Europe, including two Ryanair services originating from Dublin, were subject to diversions or searches. While no government has officially attributed the current wave of threats to a specific state, European officials have frequently cited Russia and Iran as actors behind what they characterize as hybrid attacks and sabotage. Both Moscow and Tehran have consistently denied involvement in such campaigns.

Aviation security expert Paul Mason said upcoming travellers should not be concerned. Security experts have suggested that these hoax bomb threats may represent a low-cost, deniable effort to sow instability.

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