A Turkish Airlines flight bound for Barcelona was compelled to execute an emergency landing on Thursday morning after a passenger incited panic by creating a Wi-Fi hotspot with a name implying a bomb threat, according to airline representatives.
The alarm was raised as Flight 1853 neared its destination at Barcelona-El Prat Airport, having departed from Istanbul. As reported by Euronews, the Airbus A321, which was transporting 148 passengers along with seven crew members, was ushered to a specific area for a thorough inspection once it touched down.
“It was discovered that a passenger had established an in-flight internet access point with a network name that suggested a bomb threat,” stated Yahya Üstün, the senior vice president of communications at Turkish Airlines, in a social media post on X.
As detailed by Simpleflying, the aircraft was cruising over the Mediterranean when a member of the flight crew observed an unsettling Wi-Fi network name that alarmingly read, “I have a bomb, everyone will die.”
On the tarmac of Josep Tarradellas-El Prat Airport in Barcelona, Spain, passenger luggage was organized and inspected on January 15, 2026. (REUTERS/Albert Gea)
Üstün confirmed that all essential safety protocols were swiftly activated following the discovery of the threat.
The aircraft was then escorted by two fighter jets, one Spanish and one French, during the emergency protocol, Euronews reported.
A sniffer dog inspects a line of luggage at an airport. (Reuters)
Following the aircraft’s safe landing, response crews inspected the plane and worked to identify the passenger who created the threatening Wi-Fi hotspot name, airline officials said. The operation involved Spanish authorities such as personnel from the Civil Guard, the National Police and Catalonia’s regional police and fire services, according to Euronews.
According to footage from the scene, a dog was deployed to examine the passenger’s luggage on the tarmac.
However, “no irregularities were found” following a thorough inspection, according to officials.
A Turkish Airlines plane is inspected by police after a false bomb threat following an emergency landing at Josep Tarradellas-El Prat Airport in Barcelona, Spain, on January 15, 2026. (REUTERS/Albert Gea)
“Our aircraft’s return flight will be carried out after the completion of passenger boarding,” Üstün said.
Operations at Barcelona-El Prat Airport resumed normally following the explosive scare, Reuters reported.
