A United Airlines flight bound for Palma de Mallorca, Spain, was forced to return to Newark Liberty International Airport on Saturday evening due to a potential security threat. The Boeing 767, carrying 190 passengers and 12 crew members, departed Newark around 6 p.m. but landed back at the airport at 9:37 p.m.

The incident was triggered by a passenger’s Bluetooth device, which was named with a “certain four-letter word,” according to air traffic control audio. Despite repeated requests from the crew for passengers to turn off all Bluetooth devices, two devices remained active, prompting the decision to turn the flight around after consulting with United Airlines’ headquarters in Chicago.

Upon landing, passengers evacuated the aircraft, and Port Authority police conducted a thorough inspection. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Customs and Border Protection rescreened all passengers before they were allowed to board a replacement flight with a new crew. This flight took off early Sunday morning and successfully landed in Palma in the afternoon.

Recent Incidents with United Airlines

This incident marks the latest in a series of security-related events involving United Airlines this month. Just a day prior, another United flight was diverted due to an unruly passenger causing a security concern. Earlier in the month, a United flight arriving at Newark struck a semitrailer truck and a light pole, though fortunately, no injuries were reported.

United Airlines has not provided specific details regarding the cause of the latest incident, but it underscores the importance of adhering to safety protocols and the challenges airlines face in maintaining security.

Original reporting: KTSA News/Talk (San Antonio) — read the source article.