An Austrian Airlines flight travelling from Tel Aviv, Israel, to Vienna, Austria, made an emergency landing in Bulgaria following a reported bomb threat.
The Airbus A320 aircraft, operating as flight OS82, landed safely at Sofia Airport on Sunday, October 18, 2026, after the crew reported receiving a bomb threat while approaching the Bulgarian-Romanian border.
According to Bulgaria’s Ministry of Transport and Communications, the crew decided to divert the aircraft to Sofia, prompting the Bulgarian Air Force to scramble a MiG-29 fighter jet to escort the plane to the airport.
The aircraft was carrying 51 passengers and six crew members at the time of the incident. All passengers were evacuated after the plane landed safely.
Austrian Airlines confirmed that a threat had been made against the flight, necessitating the unscheduled stop in Sofia.
“The aircraft in question – an Airbus A320 – is now being searched,” the airline said in a statement, adding that passengers would be transferred to alternative flights as soon as possible after the security checks were completed.
Bulgarian authorities subsequently established a crisis response team and launched an investigation into the incident.
Flight-tracking data reportedly showed the aircraft turning back after entering Romanian airspace before heading towards Sofia. The plane also transmitted an emergency squawk code during the incident.
Authorities have yet to disclose further details about the nature of the threat or identify those responsible.
The incident prompted a security response involving aviation authorities and the Bulgarian military, although the aircraft landed safely without any reported injuries.
