American airlines flight diverted to Rome after bomb threat

Monday, February 24, 2025 - An American Airlines flight from New York to New Delhi was forced to make an emergency landing in Italy on Sunday, February 23, following a bomb threat, according to the Flight Emergency site and airport sources.

The aircraft, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, was flying over the Caspian Sea when the airline alerted the crew to the potential threat, prompting the plane to turn back and land at Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci International Airport at approximately 16:20 GMT.

Francesco Garibaldi, a spokesman for the airport, confirmed the unexpected landing but did not disclose the reason. He stated that security checks would be conducted once all 199 passengers and crew had disembarked.

“American flight AA292 will divert to Rome en route to Delhi due to a bomb threat,” Flight Emergency, a flight-tracking account, posted on X.

Sources cited by Reuters indicated that the threat had been received via email, but a senior official briefed on the matter told ABC News that it was later deemed unfounded.

American Airlines confirmed that Flight 292 was “inspected by law enforcement” after landing and had been “cleared to re-depart.” The airline stated that the flight would remain in Rome overnight to allow for the crew’s required rest before continuing to New Delhi the following day.

The plane, which departed from John F. Kennedy International Airport, was originally bound for Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.

An Associated Press reporter at the airport captured footage of two fighter jets flying overhead shortly before the aircraft made its unscheduled landing. Fire trucks were positioned near the landing strip as a precaution.

One of the passengers, Neeraj Chopra, recounted that the captain informed them of a change in the flight’s “security status” about three hours before their scheduled arrival in New Delhi. While the initial announcement was met with calm, Chopra said he became anxious when the captain later announced that fighter jets would be escorting the aircraft to Rome.

“I felt a little panic of, okay, what’s going on here?” Chopra told the Associated Press. “There’s got to be like something bigger going on here.”

Jonathan Bacon, a 22-year-old passenger from Dayton, Ohio, said he began closely monitoring the in-flight tracker after the captain’s announcement of a “diversion due to a security issue.” He observed the plane making a sharp turn away from New Delhi and rerouting to Rome.

Passengers had limited internet access for much of the flight, with only intermittent connectivity revealing early reports of the situation about two hours before landing.

Upon arrival, passengers were transported by bus to the terminal, where they and their belongings underwent additional security screenings. Bacon described the process as time-consuming and “slightly heightened,” particularly for incoming passengers. More than two hours after landing, he and his travel companion were still waiting for their checked luggage, which was also undergoing security inspection.

“It was definitely the longest flight to Europe I’ve ever taken,” Bacon said. Despite the disruption, airport operations continued as normal, a spokesperson confirmed.