Turkish law enforcement has found no bombs as a result of the search conducted on board two Turkish Airline passenger planes. The planes were searched after authorities received a tip off before the planes' departure alleging that they were carrying explosives, Cumhuriyet news outlet reported.
According to the media, both jets were scheduled to fly to Germany – one to Munich and the other to Stuttgart. Both jets were reportedly transported to a safe area at Istanbul Airport as law enforcement officers searched them for explosives.
It is unclear how long the searches lasted or by how much the false bomb threat delayed the Turkish Airline flights to Germany. The incident coincides with the airline's attempt gradually to resume operations after a sharp decline in flights in 2020 triggered by the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. The spread of the infection left many airlines struggling to stay afloat, furloughing staff and lobbying for government support to weather the pandemic.