A United Airlines flight from Newark, New Jersey, to Palma de Mallorca, Spain, was forced to turn back midflight after the crew reported a suspicious Bluetooth device whose network name allegedly included the word "BOMB."
United Flight 236, a Boeing 767-400ER carrying 190 passengers and 12 crew members, departed Newark Liberty International Airport around 6 p.m. local time on Saturday, according to flight-tracking data and Port Authority officials.
The aircraft reversed course over the Atlantic and landed back in Newark at approximately 9:30 p.m., where it was met by law enforcement and airport emergency personnel, according to NPR.
United Airlines said in a statement that the flight returned to Newark "to address a potential security concern," but did not provide specifics about the device or the individual involved.
The airline added that passengers were deplaned so the aircraft could be inspected and that customers' safety remained its top priority during the response.
According to air traffic control audio and accounts from passengers on social media, the situation began when the crew became aware of an active Bluetooth network on board broadcasting a name that included a threatening four-letter word.
Multiple passengers reported that flight attendants made repeated announcements instructing travelers to switch off Bluetooth features on their phones and other devices, warning that the plane might have to turn around if the signal did not disappear.
Aviation outlet AirLive and several passenger posts indicated that the word in the device name was "BOMB," and that the signal was later linked to a portable Bluetooth speaker reportedly belonging to a teenage passenger.
Some accounts claimed the teen had customized the device name as a prank before the flight, but authorities have not publicly confirmed that description or announced any charges, The Star reported.
After landing in Newark, passengers were escorted off the aircraft while Port Authority police and federal agents conducted a security sweep of the cabin and cargo holds.
Travelers were then rescreened by Transportation Security Administration officers and Customs and Border Protection before being allowed to reboard a replacement flight, which departed early Sunday and later arrived in Spain, officials and passengers said.
No explosives or weapons were reported found on the plane, and no injuries were reported in connection with the incident, as per the Associated Press.
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