American Airlines flight to Delhi diverted to Rome over security threat; Italy fighter jets escort plane
PTC Web Desk: A New York to Delhi-bound American Airlines flight was diverted to Rome on Sunday due to a security concern, which was later deemed "non-credible." The airline confirmed that Flight 292, carrying 199 passengers, landed safely at Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Rome, where it underwent inspection before being cleared to continue its journey on Monday.
American Airlines, in an official statement, said law enforcement officials conducted a thorough inspection of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner upon arrival. While the airline did not disclose specific details about the security alert, it confirmed that standard protocol required the inspection before resuming the flight to New Delhi. The aircraft and its crew were scheduled to stay overnight in Rome to comply with mandatory rest regulations before taking off the following day.
The authorities in Rome, speaking to ABC News, revealed that Italian Air Force fighter jets had escorted the aircraft to the airport. According to sources, the crew received a bomb threat via email while flying over the Caspian Sea, prompting the precautionary diversion. However, investigations later determined the threat to be baseless.
Following the emergency landing, passengers and crew disembarked safely, with images and videos of the fighter jet escort widely circulating on social media. A flight-tracking platform, Flight Emergency, also reported on X (formerly Twitter) that the diversion was due to a bomb threat.
- With inputs from agencies
