United Airlines faced an unexpected disruption on a flight from Newark Liberty International Airport to Spain when it had to return mid-journey on Saturday due to a potential security concern.
The aircraft, which took off around 6 p.m. heading for Palma de Mallorca, Spain, made its way back to Newark, touching down at 9:37 p.m., as confirmed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Onboard were 190 passengers and a crew of 12 aboard the Boeing 767.
Audio from air traffic control revealed that an investigation ensued after a Bluetooth device was detected with a suspicious name reportedly including a troubling four-letter word. A passenger indicated that the word in question was “bomb.”
Social media accounts from those on the flight mentioned that the crew persistently requested that all Bluetooth devices be turned off, though a couple remained active. The decision to return was made after discussions with United’s headquarters in Chicago.
Upon landing, passengers were evacuated while Port Authority police conducted a thorough search of the aircraft. Travelers were also required to undergo additional screening by TSA and Customs and Border Patrol before being allowed to reboard. United Airlines has not disclosed further details about the incident.
Passengers boarded a replacement flight with a new crew, which took off early Sunday morning and landed in Palma in the afternoon.
This was the latest incident with a United Airlines flight this month. On Friday, a domestic flight was diverted because of a security concern with an unruly passenger. Earlier this month, a United flight landing at Newark airport struck a semitrailer truck and a light pole, though no one was injured.
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