Initial Checks Find No Bomb on Board Polish Airplane in Bulgaria’s Burgas

Polish airline Small Planet has sent out another plane to transport passengers of its aircraft which made an emergency landing in Bulgaria’s Burgas over a bomb threat on Thursday morning, Sofia-based Focus news agency reported.

It was not immediately clear when the second plane will arrive, according to a spokesperson of Burgas Airport, Focus said.

The  Airbus A320-232, on charter flight from Poland’s capital Warsaw to Egypt’s resort of Hurghada, had entered Bulgaria’s airspace when a passenger on board claimed a bomb had been planted on the aircraft. The pilot requested emergency landing and Bulgarian authorities directed the airplane to Burgas, on the Black Sea coast.

All 161 passengers and crew were evacuated by Bulgarian police, who found no explosives in an initial search of the plane, Reuters  quoted a Burgas Airport spokeswoman as saying.

Burgas Airport Director Georgi Chipilski said that police were questioning a 67-year old passenger, a Polish citizen, who had alerted the crew about a possible bomb on board, according to Focus. 

“The passenger later admitted it was a joke, however, safety is number one priority for Small Planet Airlines, so all the necessary safety procedures are being applied,” the Polish airline said on its website.

It added that the plane it is sending to Burgas will carry the passengers to Hurghada.