Austrian Airlines flight from Tel Aviv diverts to Sofia after reported bomb threat
A flight bound for Vienna landed in Bulgaria on October 18 after its crew reported a bomb-threat signal near Romania. All 57 people aboard were taken off the aircraft.
An Austrian Airlines flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna diverted to Sofia, Bulgaria, on October 18 after its crew reported a bomb-threat signal near the Romanian border, according to Bulgaria’s transport ministry. The plane landed safely, and its passengers were taken off the aircraft. The diversion disrupted the journey for 51 passengers and six crew members aboard.
The ministry said the crew chose to make an emergency landing in Sofia after reporting the signal. Reuters reported the ministry’s initial account through Sky News and said it could not immediately verify the report; neither the ministry nor Austrian Airlines had responded to its requests for comment at that point. AFP separately reported an account from the ministry and received details from the airline.
Fighter jet escorted the flight to Sofia
Bulgaria’s air force scrambled a MiG-29 fighter jet to escort the airliner under established procedures, the transport ministry said. The ministry also said it had set up a crisis response team and that the relevant authorities had opened an investigation. It gave no findings about the origin of the reported threat.
Austrian Airlines told AFP that the aircraft was an Airbus A320 carrying 51 passengers and six crew. A security search began after it landed in Sofia, the airline said. It said passengers would be booked onto alternative flights as quickly as possible once the search was complete; it did not confirm that the search or rebooking had been completed.
Flight-tracking data shows the turn toward Bulgaria
The aircraft, registered OE-LZE, entered Romanian airspace at about 9:10 p.m. local time before turning south toward Sofia, according to Flightradar24 data cited by AFP. The plane landed about half an hour after the reported threat. AFP also cited ADS-B Exchange data showing that the aircraft transmitted squawk code 7700, the signal for a general emergency, around the time it turned back.
The emergency code indicates that the flight crew declared an emergency; it does not establish what prompted the reported bomb threat. The ministry’s investigation and the aircraft search were the immediate steps reported after landing. Authorities had not announced whether the threat was credible or whether anything had been found aboard.
Read in depth: World
Syria and World Bank agree multi-donor trust fund for recovery
The Start fund is meant to finance concessional lending, guarantees and technical assistance, but no donor amounts have been announced.
CFB Wainwright fire leaves 39 hospitalized as officials describe rapid spread
Four soldiers died in the Alberta base fire. Officials say strong winds drove a grass fire toward personnel during training; 19 patients were reported in critical condition.
Sources and context
- Bomb threat forces Tel Aviv flight to divert to BulgariaAFP, republished by RTÉ
- Austrian Airlines flight from Tel Aviv diverts to Sofia on bomb threat, Sky News saysReuters, republished by The Straits Times
- Bomb threat forces airliner from Tel Aviv to divert to BulgariaAFP, republished by The Straits Times
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.