A flight from Kennedy Airport to New Delhi turned around and landed in Rome early Sunday because of a security threat, officials said.
American Airlines Flight 292 was over the Caspian Sea when it made a U-turn and headed back to Rome, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.
An official told ABC News there was an emailed bomb threat concerning the flight. Investigators eventually determined the threat was unfounded.
Photos showed two Italian Air Force fighter jets escorting the Boeing 787 Dreamliner into Rome’s international airport. Two fire trucks were waiting on the ground when the plane landed, but the rest of the airport continued to operate normally.
All 199 passengers had to leave the plane for a security sweep, officials said. After the diversion, the plane remained in Rome overnight to comply with a mandatory rest for the 15 crew members on board, American said. Passengers were rebooked onto different flights.
Flight 292 took off from Kennedy Airport at 8:34 p.m. Saturday and was originally supposed to arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi around 9 p.m. Sunday.
“Safety and security are our top priorities, and we thank our customers for their understanding,” American told ABC News in a statement.
With News Wire Services
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