A United Airlines flight bound for Palma de Mallorca, Spain, was forced to return to Newark Liberty International Airport after a Bluetooth device name triggered a security scare onboard.
Flight UA236, a Boeing 767 carrying around 190 passengers and 12 crew members, departed New Jersey on May 30 but turned back approximately 90 minutes into its journey over the Atlantic Ocean. The incident began when a passenger noticed a nearby Bluetooth network labelled “BOMB” and alerted cabin crew.
According to reports, flight attendants repeatedly asked passengers to switch off Bluetooth-enabled devices, but two signals remained active. With the source of the alert unidentified, airline officials escalated the matter and decided to return the aircraft as a precaution.
After the plane landed safely in Newark, passengers were asked to deboard and undergo additional security screening while law enforcement and airport security personnel conducted a thorough inspection of the aircraft, including the cabin and cargo areas.
Subsequent reports indicated the alert may have been caused by a Fitbit device owned by a 16-year-old passenger that had reportedly been renamed “bomb.” No charges were filed against the teenager.
United Airlines confirmed the aircraft returned due to a “potential security concern.” After the plane was cleared, passengers resumed their journey to Spain on the same aircraft with a new crew, though the incident caused significant delays.
