An El Al Israel Airlines flight travelling from Tel Aviv to Vienna was forced to make an emergency landing in Sofia, Bulgaria, after a reported bomb threat on board.

The Airbus A320, carrying 51 passengers and six crew members, was diverted to the Bulgarian capital on Sunday evening, 18 October 2026.

According to flight-tracking data  the aircraft landed in Sofia at 9.08pm;

Bulgaria’s Ministry of Transport said the crew raised the alarm while the aircraft was near the Romanian border and decided to divert to Sofia.

A ministry statement said: “During the flight, on the border with Romania, the crew reported a bomb threat signal and decided to land in Sofia extraordinarily.”

An Air Force fighter jet reportedly escorted the aircraft until it landed.

Passengers evacuated as security checks begin

Following the landing, passengers were taken off the aircraft while authorities carried out security checks.

Bulgaria’s Ministry of Transport confirmed that a response team had been established and the relevant authorities had begun examining the situation.

The ministry said: “A working headquarters has been formed and the responsible institutions have started an inspection.”

There was no immediate confirmation in the supplied report of whether any suspicious device had been found or whether the threat was considered credible.

The circumstances surrounding the reported threat remain under investigation.