Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
A United Airlines flight bound for Palma de Mallorca, Spain, was diverted back to Newark Liberty International Airport on Saturday evening after a Bluetooth device with an alarming name raised security concerns on board,
Flight 236, operated by a Boeing 767 carrying 190 passengers and 12 crew members, departed Newark at around 6 pm. However, nearly three hours into the journey, the aircraft turned around and landed safely back at Newark at approximately 9.37 pm after a suspicious Bluetooth device was detected during the flight.
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Sources told The New York Post that the incident began after passengers were instructed to switch off their Bluetooth-enabled devices. Despite repeated announcements, one device continued to appear on the list of available Bluetooth connections under the name ‘bomb’, triggering concern among crew members and airline operations staff.
The flight was subsequently diverted as a precaution. Upon landing, passengers were evacuated while Port Authority Police conducted a thorough sweep of the aircraft. Officials from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) also carried out additional screening of passengers before they were allowed to board again.
Officials later determined that the device was a Fitbit belonging to a 16-year-old passenger. Sources told The New York Post that the teenager had named the wearable device ‘bomb’, leading to the misunderstanding that prompted the security alert.
In a statement, United Airlines confirmed that the flight had returned to Newark to address a potential security concern.
“United flight 236 from Newark to Palma De Mallorca, Spain safely returned to Newark to address a potential security concern. The flight continued on to Palma De Mallorca with a new crew,” an airline spokesperson said.
The airline declined to provide further details and referred questions to local authorities.
While no local charges have been filed against the teenager, sources said the FBI has launched an investigation into the incident. United Airlines has not publicly identified the passenger involved or indicated whether any penalties are being considered.
Following the security checks, passengers boarded a replacement flight with a new crew early on Sunday. The aircraft later completed its journey and arrived in Palma de Mallorca later that day.
The diversion marked the latest in a series of incidents involving United Airlines this month. On Friday, another domestic flight was forced to change course due to a security issue involving a disruptive passenger. Earlier in the month, a United aircraft arriving at Newark Airport collided with a semi-trailer truck and a light pole during landing operations, although no injuries were reported in the incident.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
