More than 20 flights across Europe were disrupted by bomb threats during the week ending November 5, 2026. These anonymous threats, sent primarily by email, targeted multiple airports, airlines, and media organizations, prompting cancellations, diversions, and evacuations across the continent.
Major Airport Incidents and Security Responses
On Friday, Copenhagen Airport and Václav Havel Airport Prague received fresh bomb threats that affected flight operations. Hungary’s defense minister reported that three fighter jets escorted several aircraft in Hungarian airspace due to a reported threat that morning. A KLM flight arriving from Prague to Amsterdam was searched following a threat alert, though officials found no explosives on board, as
confirmed by the Dutch broadcaster NOS.
Meanwhile, Ireland’s national broadcaster RTÉ evacuated offices after receiving a bomb threat email. Other media outlets, including Sky, also reported similar threats. Czech authorities confirmed that the bomb threat emails were addressed to Václav Havel Airport Prague and sent to several other European airports.
Delivery of Threats and Involvement of Extremist Groups
The threats have mostly been sent anonymously by email. Czech officials said that four flights at Václav Havel Airport were targeted through anonymous bomb threat emails. An email sent to a logistics hub at Rome Fiumicino Airport falsely claimed that explosives were placed on flights departing from Helsinki and Dublin.
This email was signed by “The Male State,” an anti-feminist extremist group founded in Russia in 2016 and banned by a Russian court in 2021. The group has voiced support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Flight Disruptions and Evacuations
Passengers and crew on at least 14 planes were affected by threats on Thursday, including an Aer Lingus flight diverted to France and two flights from Spain and Denmark rerouted to Sofia, Bulgaria. Seven flights were rerouted on Tuesday as well. Airports and media offices experienced evacuations triggered by the anonymous bomb threat emails, heightening security procedures at affected locations.
Cause, Background, and Official Statements
Authorities suspect the bomb threats
are part of a broader hybrid campaign to destabilize European infrastructure. Eric Schouten, head of aviation security group Dyami, linked these incidents to potential sabotage by Russian state actors aiming to disrupt Europe, noting that many countries affected have supported Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Germany’s foreign ministry highlighted that Europe’s security is being tested beyond the Ukrainian frontline, citing these threats along with cyberattacks on supermarket refrigeration systems and drone incursions.
Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares described the threats as an attempt at hybrid aggression and psychological warfare. The UK’s Transport Minister Heidi Alexander labeled the bomb
threats a “malicious hoax.” Irish official Simon Harris indicated it remains unclear whether the bomb threats targeting media entities are the work of an individual or a coordinated group.
Keith Jeffries, former Federal Security Director at Los Angeles International Airport, noted that all European airports have bomb threat management plans and training procedures to respond quickly. “The bottom line is that no aviation authority will ever ignore a bomb threat,” he said.
Unconfirmed Details
No European government or aviation authority has officially identified the individuals or groups responsible for the bomb threats beyond the mention of The Male State in Italy. The
European Union stated it is too early to determine connections between incidents or confirm the sources. Specific details of the threats beyond email excerpts and the exact number of passengers impacted per flight remain undisclosed.
