United Flight Diverted After Midair Concerns Over Device Identified as 'Bomb

Aviation Security Scare Forces United Airlines Flight to Return to Newark

A United Airlines flight bound for Spain was forced to return to Newark Liberty International Airport after a Bluetooth device broadcasting the name "bomb" triggered a major security scare midair. The incident occurred on Saturday evening when United Flight 236, which had taken off from Newark, New Jersey, with 190 passengers and 12 crew members on board, was about an hour into its journey to Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

According to multiple US media reports, authorities later traced the signal to a smartwatch owned by a 16-year-old passenger. The device, which had been renamed "bomb" as a joke, was broadcasting a Bluetooth signal that was picked up by the cabin crew. Flight attendants repeatedly asked passengers to switch off their Bluetooth connections, but the signal remained visible, prompting concern among the crew.

After consultations with United Airlines operations staff, the aircraft turned back and landed safely in Newark at about 9:37 pm local time. Air traffic control recordings later revealed that security officials were asked to inspect the aircraft because a passenger had named a Bluetooth device with what was described as a "certain four-letter word". Port Authority police, including K9 units, carried out a full search of the Boeing 767 after passengers were evacuated.

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The Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection also re-screened passengers before they were cleared to board again. No explosive device was found. Investigators later determined that the signal came from a smartwatch owned by a 16-year-old passenger who had allegedly renamed the device "bomb" as a joke. Reports said no local charges had been filed immediately, though the incident was being reviewed by federal authorities.

United Airlines confirmed that the flight returned to Newark to address a potential security concern and later continued to Spain with a replacement crew. Flight tracking data showed the aircraft eventually departed in the early hours of Sunday and landed safely in Palma de Mallorca later that day.

The incident has renewed attention on aviation security procedures, with experts noting that airlines are required to investigate any potential threat, even when it later proves to be a prank.