BBC: ‘malicious hoax’, teleSUR: ‘false alarm’ – bomb threat wave hits Europe
A new wave of bomb threats has hit European airlines and media outlets. BBC stresses a possible coordinated campaign and Friday's details, while teleSUR gives an overall tally: 27 flights and 10 countries.
What Western media report
BBC (UK) reports this was the third such incident this week. On Friday, threats targeted flights to and from Lisbon, Rome, Prague and Sofia, and three planes were escorted by Hungarian fighter jets. According to AFP, at least 11 flights were targeted in the Czech Republic and Bulgaria, and France reported at least four flights, all of which landed safely. Media organisations, including Ireland's RTÉ, were also evacuated. BBC says no link between the airline and media threats has been established, that the Irish government called it a ‘likely coordinated campaign of disruption’, and that the UK earlier in the week called it a ‘malicious hoax’. BBC also notes that a Russian extremist group denies sending the threats.
What media from these countries report: Venezuela
TeleSUR (Venezuela, a network funded by the Venezuelan government) says the threats disrupted 27 flights and media operations across 10 countries, forcing diversions, evacuations and military escorts. It labels the episode a ‘false alarm’ wave. The available excerpt does not mention who was behind the threats, the Russian group or any official statements. The text was received truncated, so statements about omissions apply only to that excerpt.
Differences
- Figures: BBC cites ‘nearly 30 aircraft’ earlier in the week and specific Friday flights, while teleSUR cites 27 flights across 10 countries; the texts do not make clear whether they cover the same period.
- Wording: BBC quotes the UK's ‘malicious hoax’ and Ireland's ‘coordinated campaign’; teleSUR writes ‘false alarm’.
- Sources and context: BBC cites AFP, the Irish government, Prime Minister Martin and a Russian group's denial; the available teleSUR excerpt has none of these.
Where they agree
- Both report a wave of bomb threats that disrupted flights in Europe.
- Both say media outlets were affected and that evacuations and military escorts took place.
Sources: read the originals
- bomb threats
- Europe
- air travel
- BBC
- teleSUR
Middle East
Middle East
South America
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