Barcelona, Spain: A Turkish Airlines Airbus A321, operating Flight TK1853 from Istanbul to Barcelona, carried out an emergency landing at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona‑El Prat Airport on Thursday morning after authorities received what was initially perceived as a bomb threat on board.
The incident unfolded in the final phase of the flight, which departed Istanbul at approximately 9:22 a.m. local time and was scheduled to arrive in Barcelona around 11 a.m.
As the aircraft was approaching its destination with 148 passengers and 7 crew members onboard, flight crew members were alerted to a suspicious in‑flight wireless network name that appeared to include threatening language interpreted as a bomb warning.
In response to the alert, the airline’s regional communications executive, Yahya Üstün, confirmed that the crew declared an emergency and implemented standard safety protocols. Spanish authorities also activated the Aerocat emergency plan, mobilising airport security forces, fire services and the Guardia Civil to manage the situation and ensure safety.
The aircraft was directed to a designated remote area of the airport upon landing at 10:57 a.m., where passengers disembarked safely and were escorted to secure facilities away from terminal operations. According to local officials, Barcelona‑El Prat continued to operate normally throughout the incident.
Security personnel conducted thorough inspections of the aircraft, luggage and passengers. No explosives or hazardous materials were found, and authorities later confirmed the threat was a false alarm.
Spanish and Catalan police forces led the on‑ground response, supported by civil protection units and regional emergency services. Passengers remained in secure areas while officials completed safety checks and de-escalated the risk.
According to Turkish Airlines, the incident appears to have been triggered by the Wi‑Fi hotspot name created by a passenger, which included text interpreted as a bomb threat. The airline said it has initiated procedures to identify the individual responsible and will cooperate with the Spanish investigation.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, Turkish Airlines reaffirmed that no irregularities were detected after security screenings, and that the aircraft’s return flight was scheduled.
