Overview
- About ninety minutes after departing Newark for Palma de Mallorca on Saturday, the crew ordered all passengers to turn off Bluetooth and the pilots declared a general emergency before turning the Boeing 767 back to Newark.
- The aircraft landed safely at 9:37 p.m., was met by Port Authority police and federal agents, passengers were deplaned and then re‑screened by TSA and CBP before boarding a replacement flight the next morning.
- Air traffic control audio and passenger accounts say the visible Bluetooth name included a four‑letter word reported as “BOMB,” and multiple outlets say the device was later traced to a 16‑year‑old’s wearable.
- Reports that the FBI is involved are developing; no formal charges or outcomes have been publicly confirmed and United has said the flight returned to address a potential security concern.
- Security experts note that discoverable Bluetooth and Wi‑Fi names can prompt full bomb‑threat protocols because crews and controllers must treat any apparent threat seriously, and the disruption highlights operational and passenger consequences from low‑tech actions.