A Delhi-bound American Airlines flight from New York was diverted to Rome on Sunday following a security alert, which was later determined to be “non-credible.”
The flight, carrying 199 passengers, landed safely at Leonardo da Vinci International Airport, where it underwent a thorough inspection before being cleared for departure.
The airline, in a statement issued late on Sunday, confirmed that Flight AA 292 had been “inspected by law enforcement” after its landing in Rome and was “cleared to re-depart.”
However, the airline did not disclose the exact nature of the security concern but stated that the inspection was conducted as per protocol before the flight could proceed to New Delhi.
“The flight will stay in Rome overnight to allow for the required crew rest before continuing to Delhi as soon as possible tomorrow,” American Airlines stated.
Fighter jets escort aircraft to Rome
Italian authorities confirmed that the aircraft, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, was escorted to the airport by fighter jets of the Italian Air Force as a precautionary measure.
According to sources, the crew received an alert about a potential bomb threat when the aircraft was flying over the Caspian Sea.
A senior official informed ABC News that the threat was received via email and was later determined to be unfounded.
Upon landing, passengers and crew were safely disembarked, and law enforcement personnel conducted an extensive search of the aircraft.
Videos and images of the landing soon surfaced on social media, showing the plane being escorted by fighter jets.
A flight-tracking account, Flight Emergency, also posted on X that the flight had been diverted due to a bomb threat.
Following clearance from authorities, the aircraft is scheduled to resume its journey to New Delhi on Monday.
