
NEED TO KNOW
A Turkish Airlines flight made an emergency landing in Barcelona, Spain, after a reported "bomb threat" appeared in a passenger's hotspot network name
The incident occurred during a flight from Istanbul to Barcelona on Thursday, Jan. 15
After a thorough search of the aircraft, authorities determined there were no explosive and subsequently cleared the alert
A Turkish Airlines plane was forced to make an emergency landing on Thursday after a passenger allegedly included “bomb threat” in their WiFi network name.
Turkish Airlines flight 1853 from Istanbul to Barcelona, Spain, departed shortly before 9 a.m. local time on Thursday, Jan. 15, according to FlightAware. As the Airbus A321 neared Barcelona’s El Prat Airport, the aircraft looped around twice off the eastern coast of Spain.
Adria Puig/Anadolu via Getty
A Turkish Airlines flight make an emergency landing in Barcelona, Spain.As the plane approached its final destination, “it was detected that a passenger had set up an in-flight internet access point and configured its network name to include a bomb threat,” according to an X post from Turkish Airlines’ senior vice president of communications, Yahya Üstün.
The executive said flight crews subsequently initiated the “necessary procedures” in accordance with “flight safety protocols.”
After landing, Üstün said the proper authorities conducted a search of the aircraft “within the framework of international aviation security rules.”
David Zorrakino/Europa Press via Getty
Passengers board the Turkish Airlines plane after the "bomb threat" was cleared.In a follow-up post, Üstün shared that “no irregularities were found” during the search.
“Efforts have been initiated to identify the passenger in question and to carry out the legal process,” he wrote. “Our aircraft’s return flight will be carried out after the completion of passenger boarding.”
In a statement shared with the Associated Press and Reuters, the Spanish Civil Guard confirmed nothing was found during a thorough inspection of the aircraft. The alert was subsequently deactivated.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The department added that police have launched an investigation to determine who was behind the hoax.
Neither representatives for El Prat Airport nor the Spanish Civil Guard in Barcelona immediately responded to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Read the original article on People
LATEST POSTS
- 1
The Solution to Flexibility: Developing Internal Fortitude Notwithstanding Misfortune07.07.2023 - 2
Instructions to Perceive and Grasp the Early Side effects of Cellular breakdown in the lungs17.10.2023 - 3
Don't plan to cook on Thanksgiving? Here are the restaurants and fast food places that are scheduled to be open19.11.2025 - 4
The Golden Globes is happening Sunday: Who's nominated, who's hosting and how to watch09.01.2026 - 5
Avoid Slam: Clearing the Street for the Eventual fate of Standard Size Trucks06.11.2023
3 back-to-back storms forecast to bring snow and surges of cold air across the Midwest to the Northeast
The wolf supermoon will kick off 2026 with a celestial bang. Here's when and how to see it.
Explainer-Why are hepatitis B vaccines given to newborns?
All the ways Marjorie Taylor Greene has shifted her approach lately — and why Trump is 'surprised at her'
Where America’s CO2 emissions come from – what you need to know, in charts
Germany's Bundestag extends two armed forces missions abroad
The Best Traditional Music Arrangers in History
Architect Frank Gehry has died: See his most iconic buildings
Amy Poehler's podcast is a hit. It's also a Trojan horse for talking about women and aging.











