An Aer Lingus flight traveling from Dublin to Rome was forced to make an emergency diversion to a military airbase in Normandy, France, on Thursday morning following a credible bomb threat.
The aircraft, which was carrying 151 passengers and six crew members, declared an in-flight emergency as it neared French airspace. According to the office of French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, the flight was diverted to the Evreux military airbase, where it landed safely shortly after the alert was raised.
Flight tracking data provided a clear picture of the mid-air drama, showing the aircraft proceeding on its planned trajectory toward Rome before suddenly deviating near Paris. The flight path showed the plane making several tight loops—a maneuver often used to burn fuel or await clearance—before it turned sharply and proceeded to the Evreux facility, a location typically equipped to handle high-security incidents.
Emergency services and military bomb disposal units were immediately deployed to the tarmac upon the plane’s arrival. Officials confirmed that all individuals on board were evacuated safely and are currently being attended to by ground support teams. A comprehensive security sweep of the aircraft is underway, with bomb defusal experts carefully inspecting the cabin and cargo holds for any suspicious items.
The diversion marks the latest in a troubling wave of security scares affecting European aviation. Over the past several days, at least seven commercial flights, including two originating from the United Kingdom, have been subjected to similar bomb threats. These incidents have triggered a series of unplanned landings, mass evacuations, and temporary closures of major airports, leaving travel networks across the continent in a state of high alert.
While authorities have not yet confirmed a link between this latest incident and the recent string of threats, the frequency of these alerts has raised significant concern among aviation security agencies. Security officials are reportedly working to determine if the threats are part of a coordinated campaign designed to disrupt international travel or if they are the work of isolated actors.
“The safety of our passengers and crew remains our top priority,” an airline spokesperson said in a brief statement following the landing. Aer Lingus is currently cooperating fully with French authorities and assisting the affected passengers while investigations continue.
French government officials have maintained a tight security perimeter around the Evreux airbase as the investigation proceeds. No further details regarding the origin or nature of the threat have been released at this time.
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