Austrian Airlines flight from Israel declares emergency and diverts over ‘bomb threat’ in mid-air

Austrian Airlines flight from Israel declares emergency and diverts over ‘bomb threat’ in mid-air Fighter jets from the Bulgarian air force escorted an Austrian Airlines plane heading from Israel which made an emergency landing in Sofia following a bomb threat An Austrian Airlines plane from Israel to Vienna has made an emergency landing over a bomb threat. Passengers were evacuated after the plane diverted to Sofia, Bulgaria, due to reports of a suspicious package on board the Airbus A320 which had left Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv at 6.50pm local time. A MiG-29 fighter jet from the Bulgarian air force escorted the plane to the airport where a search was made of the aircraft and no bomb was found. Flight OS82 was cruising at 38,000ft over Bulgarian airspace when the general emergency was declared by the pilots with a squawk code 7700. The plane carrying 57 people diverted to Sofia Airport and landed around 4 hours and 40 minutes later after the departure. It was met by emergency crews on the runway. A thorough check was made of the plane but the bomb threat, reportedly made in a call from Austria, turned out to be a hoax. A spokesperson for Austrian Airlines told The Mirror: "We can confirm that a threat was made against flight OS82 on 18 October 2026 from Tel Aviv to Vienna (TLV to VIE), which necessitated a stopover in Sofia (SOF). "The flight landed safely in SOF at 20:42 CEST on 18 October 2026. Following a search of the aircraft, the passengers and the crew, no threat was identified. There were 51 passengers and 6 crew members on board. "Later that night, after re-boarding, flight OS82 continued its journey from Sofia to Vienna with all passengers on board. The safety of our passengers and crew is always our top priority." The Bulgarian ministry said: "An A320 aircraft with flight number OS82, flying on the Tel Aviv - Vienna route, was diverted to Sofia this evening due to a bomb threat. According to initial information, there are 6 crew members and 51 passengers on board. "During the flight, at the border with Romania, the crew reported receiving a bomb threat and decided to make an emergency landing in Sofia. "According to procedures, an Air Force fighter jet took off and accompanied the plane until it landed at Sofia Airport. A task force has been formed and the responsible institutions have begun an investigation. The passengers have been taken off the plane."