A flight had to turn back when a 16-year-old’s Fitbit watch, named “Bomb” on Bluetooth, caused alarm among passengers. The United Airlines flight, en route from Newark, New Jersey to Mallorca, Spain, departed at 6 pm on Saturday but returned at 9:30 pm the same day.
Concerned about a potential security threat, the aircraft was diverted for inspection. Despite crew instructions to turn off all Bluetooth devices, two remained on. Emergency services discovered that the device labeled “Bomb” was actually a Fitbit belonging to a teen on the flight.
United Airlines disclosed that the plane carried 190 passengers and 12 crew members. Everyone was evacuated to allow authorities to search the aircraft. The Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection re-screened passengers before the flight resumed to Mallorca.
The teenager involved was not charged locally, but the FBI initiated an investigation. United Airlines confirmed the safe continuation of the flight to Palma De Mallorca with a new crew.
In a separate incident, a United Airlines flight from Chicago to Minneapolis was diverted to Wisconsin due to security concerns regarding an unruly passenger. Law enforcement intervened after the flight landed, as the passenger had attempted to breach the cockpit.
The crew managed to control the situation without resorting to physical restraints, with law enforcement officers assisting in securing the unruly passenger.
