Teen's 'Bomb' Bluetooth name forces transatlantic flight to turn back

A teenager who named a Bluetooth device "Bomb" forced a passenger jet to turn back over security concerns.

A United Airlines Boeing 767 carrying 190 passengers and 12 crew members diverted back to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on May 30 after a security issue arose on board, according to CNN and The Guardian. The flight had been bound for Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

A 16-year-old boy on the flight had named his Fitbit wearable device "Bomb," and the name appeared on other passengers' Bluetooth device lists.

Crew members asked passengers to turn off their devices after determining the name could cause alarm, but the listing remained visible, prompting the decision to turn back. The aircraft had taken off around 6 p.m. and landed again at Newark around 9:30 p.m.

In a video released by CNN, a man believed to be the captain announced over the intercom that the flight was returning to Newark, saying a passenger appeared to be "making a joke that's not very funny."

"We are going back to Newark because of an act that is threatening the safety of our aircraft," he said, adding that it was "unfortunately because of one person who is not complying with crew member instructions."

"It is because of the foolishness of this one person who wants to make a joke — and this is not funny at all — and is threatening the safety and well-being of not only our crew members but all the other passengers on board," he said.

He warned that after landing, federal agents would board the aircraft to find "the person who thought this was a joke," adding, "This is a very serious matter and we will not take this lightly."

Passengers were evacuated while Port Authority police searched the aircraft. The Transportation Security Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection also conducted searches on board.

Passengers were rebooked on a replacement flight, which departed the morning of May 31 and arrived in Palma that afternoon.

The teenager's identity has not been disclosed. The New York Post, citing sources, said the FBI has opened an investigation into the incident.

An Air Busan flight departing Gimhae Airport in Busan failed to land twice at Taoyuan Airport in northern Taiwan amid strong winds before diverting to Kaohsiung Siaogang Airport in the south.

에어부산, 대만 착륙 중 강풍에 ‘휘청’…2번 착륙 실패 후 회항

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