Bomb Threat Diverts Austrian Airlines Flight to Sofia
An Austrian Airlines flight bound for Vienna from Tel Aviv was forced to make an emergency landing in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Sunday following a security scare. According to officials from the Bulgarian transport ministry, the crew received a bomb threat while the Airbus A320 was approaching Romanian airspace. In response, the Bulgarian Air Force deployed a MiG-29 fighter jet to escort the aircraft as it diverted from its original flight path and touched down safely in Sofia.
All 51 passengers and six crew members were evacuated immediately upon landing, and a comprehensive security search of the plane was initiated. While authorities work to investigate the origin of the threat, the airline has pledged to rebook all affected travelers onto alternative flights as soon as the security sweep is cleared. This incident is the latest in a series of recent mid-air emergencies, highlighting the heightened safety protocols currently enforced across European airspace.