Austrian Airlines Flight From Tel Aviv Diverts to Sofia After Bomb Threat

On Sunday night, 18 October 2026, an Austrian Airlines aircraft from Tel Aviv to Vienna managed to make an emergency landing in Sofia, Bulgaria, following a bomb threat. The aircraft landed safely, and there was no threat on board.

Flight OS82, an Airbus A320, was flying to Vienna with 51 passengers and 6 crew members and was diverted to Sofia after receiving the bomb threat. It had departed from Ben Gurion Airport and was flying near the Bulgarian-Romanian border when the threat was reported, according to Bulgaria’s Ministry of Transport and Communications. 

The crew received a bomb threat signal and made an immediate decision to land in Bulgaria's capital. At the same time, the flight tracking data from ADS-B Exchange reported a transmitted transponder code 7700 by Flight OS82, which is used for general in-flight emergencies. 

The aircraft landed at 8.42 p.m. local time in Sofia after being escorted by a Bulgarian Air Force fighter jet, Lufthansa Group, Austrian Airlines’ parent company, said in a statement. The passengers were evacuated while security personnel were conducting a thorough search of the aircraft.

Once the flight landed, the search started, and the airline made a statement that the passenger will be rebooked to an alternative flight. However, no bomb was found on the plane, and it continued its journey to Vienna after the search. 

Hoax under investigation

As per the report of the Israeli news website Ynet, an Austrian citizen made a call to Austrian police and claimed that there is a bomb on Flight OS82. The person was not traveling on the flight. Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said during a press conference that the Austrian domestic intelligence is handling the investigation, but as of now no additional information, name, or motive behind the hoax has been shared by the officials. 

A tense few weeks for Israel-bound flights

The incident follows heightened concern with regard to air travel to and from Israel. A Flydubai plane that was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv on a hijacked flight, which diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, less than three weeks ago, is now operated by a 29-year-old man known as Hammam al-Hammami, who allegedly tried to bring it down. The UAE authorities in Abu Dhabi were quoted as saying that it was a suicide attack on Ben Gurion Airport. He was put down and 

arrested by passengers and crew.

Two other flights from New York to Israel on Delta (DE) were also targeted with bomb threats last week. In the other instance, the plane was flown to a remote runway at Ben Gurion where disembarking was unproblematic, and security officers did not discover anything amiss. Airport operations then returned to normal, according to the Israel Airports Authority.

Israel has, in turn, upped the scrutiny of pilots entering the country. Foreign airlines are prohibited from using pilots or crew members that have no diplomatic relations with Israel. 

What it means for travelers

Flights and air forces believe all are true until they have been thoroughly searched, but often they are eventually ruled out as hoaxes. This is why fighter escorts and complete aircraft searches are conducted, even if no bombs are discovered. Typically, passengers experience only hours of delay and are rebooked, not at risk.

It is recommended that travelers who are travelling to or from Israel check their flight status with the airline before going to the airport and give security screeners more time for security checks. Those whose journeys are delayed should speak directly to the airline regarding the rebooking and help to be provided.

Further details about the source of the threat are not available yet from Austrian Airlines or from the Bulgarian authorities. We will bring the updates as the investigation progresses. 

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