Credited from: REUTERS
Key Takeaways:
An American Airlines flight, en route from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York to Indira Gandhi Airport in New Delhi, was diverted to Rome on Sunday after a security concern arose, later determined to be non-credible. According to ABC News, the flight, numbered 292, was advised of a potential bomb threat while flying over the Caspian Sea, which necessitated the unscheduled stop.
Upon landing at Leonardo da Vinci International Airport, the aircraft was met by law enforcement, who conducted security checks of the plane and its crew. An airline representative stated, "Safety and security are our top priorities and we thank our customers for their understanding." This sentiment was echoed in reports by Voice of America and Reuters, both confirming the issue was determined to be unfounded after an investigation.
Video footage captured by an onlooker showed two Italian Eurofighter Typhoons escorting the Boeing 787 as it approached the airport amid heightened security measures. As reported by HuffPost, passengers described a mix of calm and anxiety throughout the flight as the captain announced the need for diversion. One passenger recounted, "I felt a little panic of, okay, what's going on here?" after realizing their flight was being escorted.
Passengers were later bused to the terminal, where they underwent additional screening, while the flight was kept on the ground overnight to allow the crew necessary rest before continuing the journey to New Delhi on Monday, as stated in various sources including South China Morning Post and Newsweek.
The Rome airport operations were unaffected by this incident, and all services continued as normal throughout the diversion.