NATO fighter jets were deployed to intercept a commercial flight following the activation of a ‘bomb threat’ WiFi hotspot by a passenger.
The incident involved Turkish Airlines flight TK1853 departing from Istanbul. Upon triggering an emergency alert, French fighter jets quickly responded, passing over control to Spanish jets upon entering Spanish airspace.
The aircraft, as reported by a Catalan news outlet, was escorted by military planes after a threat was identified over the Mediterranean Sea near Italian territory. The crew declared a general emergency using a skwark 7700 code, prompting a diversion to Barcelona-El Prat Airport where the plane was isolated to mitigate risks to other flights.
The alarm was triggered by a WiFi network named with a threatening message containing the words “I have a bomb, everyone will die,” as confirmed by Turkish Airlines authorities. All 148 passengers and crew members were safely evacuated and taken to a designated area within the airport.
Following a thorough search by Spain’s Civil Guard, no explosives were found, causing a delay of approximately 30 minutes. The flight, initially bound for Barcelona, resumed operations thereafter.
In a separate incident, an Air India flight to Birmingham was diverted due to adverse weather conditions caused by Storm Goretti. Flight AI117 from Amritsar, India, transmitted a skwark 7700 code on January 9, citing low visibility and freezing conditions. The aircraft redirected near Leamington Spa before heading towards London, triggered by a “Minimum Fuel” situation requiring priority handling.
Birmingham Airport ceased all runway operations due to heavy snowfall on the evening of January 9, impacting flight schedules.