Multiple flights in Europe diverted because of bomb threats after earlier hoaxes

Above Europe's skies, the bomb threats keep coming mid-flight, creating squiggles on plane tracking sites and panic in the air and on the ground. After a series of hoax threats earlier this week, planes above France, Bulgaria, Austria, Belgium, Italy, they suddenly had to land. An Aer Lingus A320, a plane much like this one, was en route from Dublin to Rome when suddenly a bomb threat came in, and it was forced to divert to the airbase in Évreux, outside Paris. France's prime minister's office made the announcement, and real-time tracking sites traced the plane's diversion loops. After landing at 10.05, Matignon said the 151 passengers and six crew on board were safe, with bomb squads at the ready to investigate. Three aircraft were also forced to land in Bulgaria, one flying from Copenhagen and the other from Madrid, and another still from London. They also made emergency landings in Sofia and Plovdiv. In Italy, a flight from Helsinki to Rome was also safely escorted by Air Force jets. It landed at its destination. The back-to-back bomb threats have sent governments, airlines, air traffic controllers racing. Just as it did on Tuesday, when at least seven flights and a cruise ship received what turned out to be hoax threats. European officials have blamed both Russia and Iran for what they describe as acts of sabotage and hybrid warfare. Both Moscow and Tehran deny any involvement.