A United Airlines flight bound for Palma de Mallorca, Spain from Newark experienced a disruption after a potential security issue emerged mid-flight, necessitating its return to the departure airport.
The Boeing 767, which had 190 passengers and 12 crew members on board, took off on Saturday evening but had to turn back several hours into the journey. Upon its safe return to Newark, the aircraft was subjected to a thorough inspection by law enforcement and security teams as a precautionary measure.
Reports indicate that the incident was sparked by the detection of a Bluetooth device aboard the plane. In response, flight crew members reportedly made repeated requests for passengers to disable any Bluetooth-enabled devices while the situation was evaluated by the airline.
After landing back in Newark, passengers were asked to disembark so that authorities could conduct a comprehensive security sweep of the aircraft. Travelers were subsequently re-screened before receiving clearance to continue their journey. United Airlines arranged for a replacement aircraft and crew, with the new flight departing early on Sunday and arriving safely in Palma de Mallorca later that day.
This incident is one among several operational and security-related events involving United Airlines flights in recent weeks, underlining the airline’s commitment to exercising caution when faced with potential safety concerns.