Video taking off 42x its usual first day

Hoax bomb threats trigger searches on seven European flights

5 News reports diversions and an Italian Air Force escort, with no injuries and investigators examining whether the threats were coordinated.

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5 News Story of November 4, 2026Trari Newsroom

Why this story? The video opened at a pace of 199,407 views a day, 42 times a normal first day on this channel (4,802).

Seven planes searched after suspected bomb threats across Europe | 5 News

A Ryanair flight from Manchester to Murcia received a threat after take-off. When it landed in Spain, the aircraft was searched. "A search of that plane found no explosives," reporter Anna Geary says in 5 News's account of disruption across Europe.

Reporting from Manchester Airport, Geary describes threats affecting seven flights on Tuesday, including services operated by Ryanair, LOT Polish Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines and Wizz Air. The threats turned out to be hoaxes, but prompted searches and diversions. One aircraft was escorted to landing by the Italian Air Force. No one was injured.

The short report drew about 123,000 views in its first ten hours, an unusually fast start for the channel's short-form news coverage.

Geary's report follows the disruption beyond Manchester, including a LOT flight diverted to Warsaw and flights bound for Sofia. A day earlier, another aircraft heading for Bulgaria had diverted to Hungary after a similar threat.

Travel expert Simon Calder warns passengers to prepare for delays and disruption, and says airlines are not liable for compensation in these circumstances.

Investigators are examining whether the threats are coordinated. Geary explains why even a hoax requires a response: "They have to be considered genuine until it's ruled out, of course, that they are a hoax."