Adriatic flights caught in Europe's bomb-threat wave

A Finnair flight from Helsinki to Rome and a Wizz Air jet from Milan to Warsaw were among European aircraft hit by hoax bomb threats on Thursday, according to reports from France 24 and Deutsche Welle. An Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome was diverted to France's Evreux airbase, while at least two other planes bound for Rome were subjected to security alerts. The threats, sent to airports across the continent, claimed to originate from "fighters of the Male State," a far-right Russian group, according to France 24.

More than 30 flights were disrupted across Europe in the latest spate of hoaxes, with the Guardian reporting that at least 25 aircraft were affected by security alerts or diversions. Planes headed to Warsaw, Sofia, and Spanish airports were also targeted. No explosives were found on any of the aircraft, and the EU transport commissioner told the Guardian it remained unclear whether all the threats were connected. Passengers recounted landing at military bases and enduring security checks and substantial travel delays, the New York Times reported.

The disruptions exposed vulnerabilities in Adriatic air traffic at a moment when the region's tourism economy depends on reliable international connectivity. Ancona airport and the broader Adriatic corridor serve both leisure and business travellers; any sustained pattern of security alerts could deter bookings and complicate cargo operations. The hoaxes underscore how hybrid-warfare tactics—false alarms designed to sow disruption rather than cause direct harm—can ripple across European infrastructure without requiring material violence.