Bluetooth name “bomb” triggers mid-air flight return

A United Airlines flight from Newark to Palma de Mallorca was forced to turn back mid-journey after a Bluetooth device with a suspicious name

A United Airlines flight from Newark to Palma de Mallorca was forced to turn back mid-journey after a Bluetooth device with a suspicious name triggered a security alert on board.

Flight 236, a Boeing 767 carrying around 190 passengers and 12 crew members, departed Newark Liberty International Airport at approximately 6 pm on Saturday. The aircraft had been airborne for nearly three hours when it reversed course and returned to Newark around 9:37 pm.

According to reports, the issue began after passengers were asked to switch off Bluetooth-enabled devices during the flight. Despite repeated announcements, a device continued to appear in the system under the name “bomb,” raising concerns among the cabin crew and airline operations staff.

The situation prompted the pilot to follow security protocols, and the aircraft was diverted back to its departure airport as a precautionary measure.

Upon landing, all passengers were safely evacuated. Port Authority Police carried out a detailed inspection of the aircraft. Additional screening was also conducted by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials.

Authorities later determined that the device in question was a Fitbit wearable belonging to a 16-year-old passenger. The device had been named “bomb,” which led to the misunderstanding that triggered the security response.

United Airlines confirmed the incident, stating that the flight returned to Newark to address a potential security concern. The airline said a replacement crew was arranged before the flight resumed its journey to Spain.

The airline did not provide further details, referring questions to law enforcement agencies.

Sources said the FBI has launched an investigation into the incident, although no criminal charges have been filed so far. The passenger involved has not been publicly identified.

After security clearance, passengers were rebooked on a replacement flight, which later completed the journey to Palma de Mallorca the following day.

The diversion adds to a series of recent operational disruptions involving United Airlines, including other security-related incidents and an earlier ground accident at Newark Airport, though no injuries were reported in those cases.