Bomb Threat Forces Austrian Airlines Flight From Tel Aviv to Divert to Sofia

By אילן ארנון

Translated & summarized from Mako by baba

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Hebrew · 7 newsrooms covering

An Austrian Airlines flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna diverted to Sofia, Bulgaria, after a bomb threat was received mid-flight. Passengers described a calm evacuation and security check involving a bomb squad and dogs. The flight eventually continued to Vienna after a replacement plane arrived. The incident occurred amidst a recent rise in similar threats to flights.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

An Austrian Airlines flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna diverted to Sofia due to a bomb threat.
Passengers were evacuated and their belongings searched by a canine unit.
The pilot initially cited a technical issue before revealing the bomb threat.
A replacement aircraft was provided, and the flight continued to Vienna.
The incident follows other recent bomb threats on flights to Israel.

Bomb Threat Forces Austrian Airlines Flight From Tel Aviv to Divert to Sofia — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

An Austrian Airlines flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna was diverted to Sofia, Bulgaria, on October 26, following an anonymous bomb threat. Veronica, a passenger on the flight, recounted the experience, stating that the pilot initially announced a technical issue necessitating the landing in Sofia.

Upon landing, however, the pilot informed passengers of a suspected explosive device on board. Veronica observed numerous rescue vehicles and a canine unit upon arrival, confirming it was not a mere technical malfunction. Passengers were instructed to collect their belongings and exit the aircraft, waiting for at least 20 minutes inside the plane before disembarking via regular stairs.

Passengers were then told to place their belongings on the ground and step away while a dog searched them and their items. After the all-clear, they were escorted to a bus and waited another half hour before proceeding to the terminal. Their passports were collected and returned after a three-hour wait, during which they were offered water.

A replacement aircraft arrived, and passengers were provided with food before departing for Vienna at 2:40 AM local time. Veronica noted that the situation was handled calmly, with passengers even making jokes due to the large number of Israelis on board. The Lufthansa Group confirmed the safe landing and security check of the aircraft, which carried 51 passengers and six crew members.

This incident follows a recent attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight and two false bomb threats on Delta Airlines flights to Israel the previous week.