Boeing Flight Carrying 202 People Forced to Turn Back Mid-Air Over Security Threat

United Airlines flight bound for Spain from Newark Liberty International Airport in the United States was forced to turn back mid-flight following a suspected security threat on board. The incident occurred just one day after another flight by the same airline was diverted due to a passenger allegedly attempting to breach the cockpit.

According to The Guardian, the aircraft, bound for Palma de Mallorca, Spain, took off from Newark around 18:00 local time on Saturday, 30 May 2026. However, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey confirmed the flight did not continue its journey and returned to Newark at 21:37.

United Airlines stated the Boeing 767 was carrying 190 passengers and 12 cabin crew.

Air traffic control recordings revealed security personnel were requested to inspect the plane after a Bluetooth device with a suspicious name was detected. Communications indicated someone had named their Bluetooth device using a ‘four-letter word’.

A passenger who shared the experience on social media said crew repeatedly asked passengers to turn off Bluetooth devices, but two remained active.

This prompted coordination between the flight crew and United Airlines’ Chicago headquarters. After further communication, the decision was made to return to Newark for safety reasons.

Upon landing, all passengers were disembarked while authorities conducted a thorough search of the aircraft.

Port Authority police inspected the plane to ensure no threats to flight safety. Subsequently, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers rechecked all passengers before they were allowed onto a replacement flight.

United Airlines did not provide detailed explanations for the incident.

The airline confirmed all passengers were rebooked on a replacement flight with a new crew, which departed early Sunday and arrived in Palma de Mallorca that afternoon.

This incident is part of a series of disruptions involving United Airlines in recent weeks.

The previous day, on Friday, a United Airlines flight from Chicago to Minneapolis was diverted to Madison, Wisconsin, after a passenger suspected of acting erratically allegedly tried to enter the cockpit.

On 3 May, another United Airlines flight bound for Newark Liberty Airport reportedly collided with a light pole and a delivery vehicle on the tarmac. Authorities confirmed the driver sustained minor injuries, with no other casualties reported.