Bomb Threat Diverts Israel-Vienna Flight Under MiG-29 Escort
The Airbus A320, flying as OS82 from Tel Aviv, landed safely in the Bulgarian capital with 51 passengers and six crew members aboard, the airline confirmed.
An Israeli news website reported that Austrian Airlines received a warning from an Austrian citizen who claimed a bomb was on the aircraft after it left Israel. The caller was not on the plane, the outlet said.
Passengers told the same website they were informed of an anonymous bomb threat that forced the change of course. Among them was a delegation of young people expected to address the United Nations, according to the outlet.
Bulgaria’s Transport Ministry said the crew reported the warning while flying near the Romanian border and chose to divert to Sofia.
The Bulgarian Defense Ministry said MiG-29 fighter jets were scrambled to escort the aircraft in an operation coordinated with the NATO Combined Air Operations Centre in Spain.
Passengers were evacuated after landing, and Bulgarian authorities began security checks of the plane. Austrian Airlines, part of the Lufthansa Group, said travelers would be rebooked on other flights once the inspections are complete.
The Israeli news website reported early indications that the threat may be a false alarm, though authorities have not yet released the results of their investigation.
The scare follows a similar incident last Tuesday, when a Delta Air Lines flight from New York landed at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport after an anonymous warning. Passengers were evacuated and the aircraft was moved to an isolated area for inspection. Security checks later confirmed the alert was false.
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