THIS is the terrifying moment two fighter jets escort an American Airlines flight after a mid-air bomb threat was received.
The flight that took off from JFK Airport in New York City to New Delhi, India, made a U-turn and had to be grounded in Rome due to a “possible security issue,” the airline said.
American Airlines confirmed Flight 292’s ordeal on Sunday, where the plane was flying near Turkmenistan when a bomb threat was received.
Footage captured of the gargantuan jet shows it flying between two fighter jets before landing at Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Airport.
In another clip, a group of people are stood watching in horror as the aircraft landed on the airport runway – with the fighter jets following closely behind.
The jet had departed at around 8:30pm on Saturday and was travelling over the Caspian Sea when the airline chillingly warned the crew of a bomb threat, sources claim.
It was eventually grounded in Rome, Italy, around three hours after departure time due to a bomb threat that was received by email, ABC reports.
The terrifying concern was later determined as being “non-credible,” the airline said.
A senior official told ABC that Indian authorities requested the aircraft be checked prior to landing in New Delhi.
Spokesperson for the airport Francesco Garibaldi didn’t give the specific reason for the diversion but said that security checks would be performed as soon as all the passengers and crew got off the aircraft.
Italian law enforcement checked and cleared the aircraft to re-depart, according to American Airlines.
And passengers are to stay overnight so the crew can rest before they head off to New Delhi on Monday.
One passenger who was onboard the flight during the incident, Yash Raj, said on X that everyone “safely deboarded the aircraft”.
He said: “Huge credit to the cabin crew for handling the situation so well.
“Everyone in the aircraft was calm.”
American Airlines said: “Safety and security are our top priorities and we thank our customers for their understanding.
“We are working closely with local authorities and will provide updates as the situation develops.”
American Airlines is still reeling from when its jet collided with a helicopter over Washington DC – despite it being a clear night.
A catalogue of errors, including staffing issues and the use of the wrong flight path, could be to blame for the crash
Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/13609624/american-airlines-plane-diverted-bomb-scare/
