Reported “Threat” Against Commercial Flight From Israel Prompts Emergency Landing

An Austrian Airlines flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna with 57 people aboard made an emergency landing in Bulgaria following a threat, the airline said, just weeks after a FlyDubai pilot tried to hijack an Israel-bound plane https://t.co/uXS4IAXJ1q

— Bloomberg (@business) October 18, 2026

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There were 51 passengers and six crew members on board, according to the spokesperson. Passengers will be rebooked on an alternative flight after the aircraft search is completed.

“The safety of our passengers and crew is always our top priority,” the spokesperson added.

Bulgaria’s Ministry of Transport and Communications said the flight made the emergency landing after a “bomb threat signal,” Sky News reported. A Bulgarian Air Force fighter jet escorted the aircraft to Sofia, and passengers disembarked after landing.

The incident came just weeks after a Flydubai copilot allegedly attacked the flight’s captain with a crash ax in an apparent attempt to bring down a plane carrying 170 passengers from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

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An Austrian Airlines plane that took off from Ben-Gurion Airport to Vienna on Sunday night was diverted to Bulgaria following a suspected bomb threat.https://t.co/vZbCNq2uIF

— The Jerusalem Post (@Jerusalem_Post) October 18, 2026

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The threat against an Austrian Airlines flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna that was diverted to Sofia on Sunday was made in a telephone call to Vienna airport, Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said on Monday.

Authorities are investigating the threat, Karner said in a joint press conference with his Bulgarian counterpart, without giving details about the nature of the threat or the person who made it.

Following the alert, the captain declared an emergency by transmitting the international emergency transponder code, Squawk 7700, and diverted to Sofia Airport.

The aircraft landed safely in Sofia at approximately 7:42 p.m. local time. Emergency crews and security personnel were waiting at the airport, and passengers and crew were evacuated under the supervision of local security authorities.

All passengers and crew were safe and unharmed, an airport spokesperson said. The aircraft was moved to an isolated area, where bomb disposal teams and security personnel conducted searches in accordance with established procedures. No explosive device had been reported as found at that stage.

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