American Airlines flight diverted to Rome for 'security reasons'

Yahoo

23-02-2025

An American Airlines flight traveling from New York to New Delhi was diverted to Rome Sunday for 'security reasons,' according to officials from the airline.
In a statement, American Airlines said Flight AA292 was traveling from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Indira Gandhi International Airport before it diverted to Rome 'due to a possible security issue,' but did not elaborate on what it was. The Federal Aviation Administration said the crew reported the security issue.
The airline said the threat was cleared.
'Safety and security are our highest priorities, and we are working closely with law enforcement agencies,' the airline said in the statement.
Flight AA292 requested a flight diversion to Rome's Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport at around 2 p.m. local time, said Roberto Rao, a spokesperson for the airport.
'We immediately agreed and organized a safe landing,' Rao told NBC News. 'We don't know what the security concern was, but my opinion is that it was serious enough to divert the plane, but not urgent, because we received the alert when the plane was over the Caspian Sea, a three hours' flight from Rome.'
The American Airlines plane was escorted by two Italian air force fighter jets when it arrived in Italian airspace, according to Rao, and landed in Rome at around 5:30 p.m. local time, per the Federal Aviation Administration. The passengers got off of the plane through staircases, and their baggage and the plane were checked.
There were 199 passengers on board the flight, The Associated Press reported.
One of the passengers on the flight, Yash Raj, said they were told by the crew that there was a security situation and a diversion was necessary.
"But we were never told that there is some threat on the aircraft, the only thing that was mentioned was the security situation, and cabin crew handled the situation very well," Raj said. "So everyone was calm."
One of the jets that escorted the flight to Rome could be seen in a video shot by Raj at around 5 p.m. local time and posted on X.
American Airlines said the plane was met by local law enforcement upon its arrival to Rome and that it will be inspected before continuing on to New Delhi.
'If all the checks are OK, the plane will take off for its final destination tomorrow,' Rao said. 'The passengers will spend the night in Rome.'
Activity at the Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport was not disrupted as a result of the diversion, per Rao.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com