An American Airlines flight traveling from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to New Delhi was forced to divert to Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci International Airport following a suspected bomb threat received mid-flight.
Flight 292, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner carrying 199 passengers and 15 crew members, was approximately two hours from its destination when the crew was alerted to a potential security issue. The aircraft made a sharp U-turn over Turkmenistan and headed back toward Europe. Italian Eurofighter Typhoon warplanes escorted the plane to Rome, where it landed safely after a 14-hour and 45-minute journey, as reported by Reuters.
Upon arrival, passengers underwent additional security screenings, and Italian authorities thoroughly inspected the aircraft. The bomb threat, which was sent via email, was later deemed non-credible. American Airlines issued a statement saying, “Safety and security are our top priorities, and we apologize to our customers for the inconvenience.”
The flight is expected to continue to New Delhi on Monday after the crew receives the required rest. This incident follows a similar security scare involving an American Airlines flight in Texas, raising ongoing concerns about aviation safety.
