United Airlines diverts flight after 'BOMB' signal detected onboard
What's the story
A United Airlines flight from Newark, US to Palma de Mallorca, Spain, was diverted mid-air due to a potential security threat. The incident occurred on Saturday evening when a passenger noticed an active Bluetooth network named "BOMB" on the plane. Despite being instructed to turn off all Bluetooth networks during the flight, this particular network remained active even after multiple requests from airline staff.
Incident
Flight returned to Newark
The Boeing 767, carrying 190 passengers and 12 crew members, was diverted back to Newark Liberty International Airport. The decision was made after the situation was escalated up the chain of command. United Airlines issued a statement confirming that the flight returned "to address a potential security concern." Passengers were safely evacuated and the aircraft was thoroughly inspected by Port Authority police with K9 units.
Security measures
Passengers re-boarded after thorough checks
After the inspection, the aircraft was cleared for safe air travel. Passengers were re-screened by the Transportation Security Administration and US Customs and Border Protection before they could board a replacement flight with a new crew. The incident came just a day after another United Airlines flight was diverted to Madison, Wisconsin due to an unruly passenger who allegedly attempted to breach the cockpit.