HIBAPRESS – Omar Rzini (Barcelona Office)
A Turkish Airlines plane was forced to make an emergency landing at El Prat Airport in Barcelona on Thursday, after receiving a false bomb threat on board during its flight from Istanbul.
Spanish police and Turkish Airlines stated that the threat was received via the internet during the plane's flight, which necessitated the activation of the security and safety protocols in place in such cases, and the diversion of the flight to Barcelona airport as a precautionary measure. Informed sources clarified that the plane was on an international flight departing from Istanbul and heading towards a European destination, although the name of the intended airport was not officially revealed, before its course was diverted to El Prat Airport following the security threat. Immediately after the plane landed, security units surrounded it and evacuated the passengers and crew in an orderly manner, while specialized teams began thoroughly inspecting the plane to ensure it was free of any dangerous materials. It was later revealed that the report was unfounded, and no explosives or real threats were found. The Spanish authorities confirmed the opening of an investigation to identify the person or entity behind this false threat, stressing that such actions pose a risk to public safety and cause disruption to air traffic and cause panic among passengers.
