Turkish Airlines flight makes emergency landing at Barcelona airport over bomb threat

A Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Barcelona made an emergency landing at Barcelona-El Prat Airport on Thursday after a bomb threat was reported onboard.

Authorities later confirmed the threat was false, and the airport's general alarm was deactivated.

Airline sources told the Catalan News Agency (ACN) that a passenger had created a Wi-Fi hotspot on the plane and set its network name to include a bomb threat, prompting immediate security protocols.

Spanish defence ministry sources confirmed that a French fighter jet was cleared to enter Spanish airspace to escort the aircraft.

Flight TK1853, originally scheduled to land at 10.30 am, arrived around 11.00 am.

The passenger plane touched down in a secure area away from the main terminals, and airport operations were not disrupted.

Airport management company Aena confirmed security forces were assessing the situation. 

Officers from Spain's Guardia Civil and Catalan police, the Mossos d'Esquadra, were deployed to the scene. Passengers were evacuated as the Guardia Civil led security checks.

Civil Protection authorities placed the Aerocat emergency plan on alert, and firefighters dispatched five units to the airport as a precaution and to provide support if needed.

Turkish Airlines emphasized that all procedures were conducted in line with international aviation safety standards.