An American Airlines flight from JFK Airport to Delhi was diverted to Rome on Sunday due to a bomb threat on board.
The flight, which carried 199 passengers and 15 crew members, was two hours from its destination when it was redirected over Turkmenistan, a Central Asian country.
According to the New York Post, the airline confirmed that the detour was due to a “possible security issue.”
Passenger Neeraj Chopra, who was on his way to see family in India, described the moment of trepidation when the captain announced the diversion.
“I felt a little panic of, OK, what’s going on here?” he said.
The Italian Air Force eventually verified that the threat was due to a suspected bomb on board.
Two Italian Eurofighter Typhoon planes escorted the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on its 14-hour voyage.
After over 15 hours in the air, the flight arrived at Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Airport about 11:15 a.m. ET, where passengers were transferred to buses for more security procedures. They waited for their checked bags for well over two hours after landing.
American Airlines issued a statement thanking customers for their understanding and emphasizing that safety and security were their top priority. The airline also stated that they were working closely with local authorities to remedy the issue.
“Safety and security are our top priorities, and we thank our customers for their understanding.
“We are working closely with local authorities and will provide updates as the situation develops,” American Airlines said, as reported by the New York Post.
This incident occurs only two weeks after another American Airlines flight was delayed for several hours due to a bomb threat involving a Wi-Fi hotspot aboard a Texas-bound jet.
