A bomb threat led to the emergency diversion of an Aer Lingus flight carrying over 150 passengers, which was en route from Dublin to Rome. The aircraft made an unscheduled landing at a French Air Force base in Normandy on Thursday morning.
The airline confirmed that Flight EI402 was redirected as a precautionary measure, landing safely at the Évreux-Fauville Air and Space Force base. French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu stated that the situation was under close observation, referring to the incident as a “bomb alert.”
Following the landing, the 151 passengers and six crew members were safely relocated while bomb squad personnel assessed the situation. Tracking data showed that the Airbus A320 had been cruising normally at 37,000 feet before it began a series of descents and loops to land at the base.
This incident is the latest in a series of bomb threats impacting at least nine flights across Europe this week, prompting diversions and causing a temporary closure of an airport in Poland. Fortunately, no explosives have been discovered in any of the reported incidents, according to authorities.
In a separate case, a bomb threat was reported concerning an Israel-bound cruise ship at the port of Syros in Greece, prompting security measures there as well. However, as of now, there are no claims of responsibility linking these events.
Photo credit: Stephane Duprat
