Turkish Airlines confirmed on Thursday that it is exploring legal options after a false bomb threat Turkish Airlines flight TK1853 received forced the aircraft to make an emergency landing in Barcelona. This incident triggered a major security response at El Prat Airport. However, authorities later confirmed no explosives were found onboard.
The flight from Istanbul touched down without incident at 11:00 am, approximately one hour after the alert was raised. Meanwhile, Civil Guard officers have identified all passengers and are now investigating the source of the hoax, according to reports from Europa Press.
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Airline response and investigation into the false bomb threat
Airline officials moved quickly to address the disruption. Yahya Üstün, the head of communications for Turkish Airlines, stated that the carrier is working directly with authorities to pinpoint the individual responsible. He indicated that the company is studying the possibility of taking legal action against the perpetrator. Therefore, the investigation will need to consider the broader context of repeat offending patterns in Catalonia.
“After the incident occurred on our flight TK1853 Istanbul-Barcelona, the competent authorities of the country carried out the necessary security checks and found no irregularities,” Üstün explained in a statement on social media. He added that the company is currently focused on the identification of the passenger in question.
Emergency protocols activated after the false bomb threat
The threat was received around 10:00 am, prompting immediate coordination between the flight crew and ground control. Upon landing, the aircraft was directed to a designated remote security zone, away from the main terminals. This procedure allows emergency services to isolate potential risks without endangering other airport operations.
Passengers were evacuated from the plane while specialist units inspected the cabin and hold. The operation involved officers from the Mossos d’Esquadra, the Civil Guard, Generalitat Firefighters, and Local Police. In addition, the involvement of the Catalan police’s elite intervention unit underscores the high level of alert triggered by the threat. Civil Protection also activated the “Aerocat” emergency plan in its alert phase to monitor the situation.
Airport operations return to normal following the false bomb threat
Government officials confirmed shortly after 14:00 pm that the threat was a false alarm. A thorough inspection of the aircraft and luggage yielded a negative result for explosives. Following the all-clear, the airport deactivated the specific alert status.
Despite the significant police presence, general airport operations continued largely unaffected. Consequently, Aena, the airport operator, reported that the infrastructure suffered no operational impact during the security work. The Government Delegate in Catalonia, Carlos Prieto, maintained contact with security forces throughout the morning to coordinate the response.
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