A United Airlines flight bound for Palma de Mallorca, Spain, had to return to Newark Liberty International Airport after a security alert triggered by the name of a Bluetooth device detected on board.
According to a report by The New York Post, the aircraft had taken off from New Jersey, in the United States, at around 6 p.m. local time, but returned to Newark about four and a half hours later.
According to sources heard by the outlet, the problem began when passengers spotted a Bluetooth device named “bomb” among the devices available for connection. The discovery led the crew to start security procedures and try to locate the owner of the equipment.
After landing, all passengers were removed from the aircraft and underwent a new screening conducted by agents from the Port Authority, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The aircraft also underwent a full inspection.
The investigation concluded that the device belonged to a 16-year-old teenager and that it was a Fitbit renamed as “bomb”. After the inspections were completed, passengers boarded another aircraft, with a new crew, and continued their journey to Spain.
According to the report, the teenager was not criminally charged by local authorities, but the case was referred to the FBI for review.
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