- Flight UA236 turned back over the Atlantic after a reported Bluetooth name sparked a mid-air alert.
- Crew failed to trace the suspicious signal despite repeated requests to switch off all devices.
- Passengers were deboarded and rescreened before the Spain-bound flight resumed with a new crew.
A United Airlines flight bound for Spain was forced to turn back mid-air after a reported Bluetooth device name triggered a security scare onboard. According to reports, United Airlines Flight UA236 departed Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey for Palma de Mallorca, Spain, on the evening of May 30. The Boeing 767 aircraft was carrying around 190 passengers and 12 crew members when the incident occurred. The situation began after a passenger reportedly spotted a nearby Bluetooth network labelled “BOMB” on their device. According to People, Jordan Moore, a passenger onboard, shared her experience on TikTok, claiming the situation started when a fellow traveller noticed the suspicious Bluetooth name during the flight - despite passengers being instructed to switch off such connections.
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“This network was discovered by a passenger during takeoff, and flight staff was notified immediately,” Moore wrote, adding that the signal remained active even after crew members made multiple announcements asking passengers to turn off Bluetooth devices. She further stated that “the situation was escalated up the chain of command,” following which the decision was taken to turn the aircraft around as a precaution.
Photo: Unsplash
The Guardian reports that, according to air traffic control audio, the aircraft was inspected after a Bluetooth device was reportedly named a “certain four-letter word”. A passenger said crew repeatedly asked travellers to switch off Bluetooth devices, but two remained active.
Flight Turns Back Over Atlantic
With the source of the signal unidentified and the wording suggesting a potential threat, the matter was escalated to airline operations. According to Fox Business, the aircraft turned back around 90 minutes into the journey, while flying over the Atlantic Ocean. United Airlines later confirmed that the flight returned to Newark due to a “potential security concern,” as per People. The plane landed safely back in New Jersey later that evening. The New York Post later reported that some sources confirmed to the publication that the flight had to be turned around mid-way after a teenager named his Fitbit “bomb” and it popped up on available Bluetooth devices.
Security Checks After Landing
After landing, authorities carried out a detailed inspection of the aircraft. As per reports, passengers were asked to deboard while law enforcement and airport security conducted a sweep of the aircraft, including the cabin and cargo areas. Travellers were also rescreened by security agencies before being allowed to reboard.
Flight Resumes After Delay
After the aircraft was cleared, United Airlines arranged for passengers to continue their journey. As per reports, the flight later departed again for Spain with a new crew, though the disruption caused significant delays.
