An American Airlines flight traveling from New York to Delhi (AA 292) was diverted to Rome on Sunday evening due to a bomb threat. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which had departed from JFK Airport on Saturday, February 22 at 8:14 PM, was already over the Caspian Sea when it turned around toward Europe. Although the bomb threat was determined to be “non-credible,” protocols at Delhi Airport required the plane to be inspected at a different location before landing.
Upon arrival in Rome, the aircraft was escorted by two Italian Air Force Eurofighters and underwent a thorough security check. Once cleared, it was allowed to proceed, but it will remain grounded overnight at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport for crew rest. The flight is expected to depart for Delhi on Monday.
American Airlines issued a statement saying, “American Airlines flight 292, from New York (JFK) to Delhi (DEL), was diverted to Rome (FCO) due to a potential security issue. The aircraft landed safely at FCO, where law enforcement conducted an inspection and cleared the plane for departure. Our top priority is safety and security, and we apologize for the inconvenience caused to our passengers.”
This incident follows a trend from last year, where several flights in and out of India received hoax bomb threats, often resulting in fighter jet escorts for planes landing abroad.
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