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

An Austrian Airlines flight travelling from Tel Aviv to Vienna was diverted to Bulgaria on Sunday following a reported bomb threat, prompting an emergency landing in Sofia and the evacuation of all passengers.

The aircraft was approaching Romanian airspace when the crew decided to divert, Bulgaria’s transport ministry said in a statement. The Bulgarian Air Force scrambled a MiG-29 fighter jet to escort the airliner in accordance with established security procedures.

Austrian Airlines told AFP that 51 passengers and six crew members were aboard the Airbus A320 when it landed safely in Sofia. Authorities subsequently began a security search of the aircraft to determine whether any explosive device was present.

“Once the search of the aircraft is complete, the passengers will be rebooked onto alternative flights as quickly as possible,” the airline said.

Passengers were evacuated after the plane landed, according to Bulgaria’s transport ministry. Officials did not immediately disclose the source of the threat or provide details about the circumstances in which it was received.

Flight-tracking data offered further information about the diversion. According to Flightradar24, the aircraft, registered as OE-LZE, entered Romanian airspace at around 9:10 p.m. before changing direction and heading south towards Bulgaria, where it landed in Sofia.

Data from flight-tracking platform ADS-B Exchange showed that the aircraft was transmitting squawk code 7700 around the same time. The code is used by pilots to indicate a general emergency.

Bulgaria’s transport ministry said a crisis response team had been established and the relevant authorities had launched an investigation into the incident.

The diversion comes amid continued security concerns involving commercial aviation in Europe and the Middle East, where airlines have faced disruptions linked to threats, emergency alerts and regional tensions.

In a separate incident late last month, the co-pilot of a flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv allegedly attacked the captain and planned to deliberately crash the aircraft. The captain, passengers and other crew members reportedly intervened and stopped the alleged attempt.

Last week, Croatia and Germany scrambled fighter jets after a commercial flight travelling from the Greek island of Corfu to Nuremberg in Germany mistakenly transmitted a hijacking alert.

The incidents highlight the security procedures that airlines and national authorities follow when an aircraft reports a potential threat or emergency. Such responses can include military escorts, emergency landings, passenger evacuations and detailed searches of aircraft.

The investigation into Sunday’s Austrian Airlines incident is expected to establish the origin and credibility of the bomb threat. The airline said passengers would be transferred to alternative flights once the security checks had been completed.