Mid-air terror scare: Delhi Police registers FIR after bomb threat forces emergency landing of US flight

The Delhi Police have filed a formal complaint in relation to the incident, which occurred a day after an American Airlines flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York to the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the capital was forced to make an emergency landing in Rome due to a bomb threat that was made in midair. Usha Rangnani, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI Airport), stated on Monday that the email containing the threat was sent on February 23. “The airplane was diverted and made a safe landing in Rome, Italy, in accordance with regular security procedures. An FIR has been lodged in connection with the event, and the airline later submitted a complaint,” the DCP informed.

The case was filed at the IGI airport police station under Section 3 of the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Civil Aviation Act, as well as Sections 217 (false information) and 351(4) (criminal intimidation by anonymous communication) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Now, security organizations are working nonstop to investigate the threat’s source and guarantee the security of aviation travel in the future. Sitting on the tarmac of Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Rome on Sunday, February 23, 2025, is American Airlines aircraft AA292, which was traveling from New York to New Delhi when it turned around over the Caspian Sea. The scenario drastically changed while the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which was carrying 199 passengers and 15 crew members, was halfway over the Caspian Sea.

According to flight monitoring data, the plane, which was supposed to travel for 14 hours, abruptly reversed course close to the Black Sea, changing its destination to Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO) in Rome. Fighter jets were rushed to accompany the airliner as it reached Italian territory, a terrifying sign of the threat’s seriousness. At 5:30 p.m. local time, the aircraft made a safe landing and was promptly seized by Italian authorities. American Airlines acknowledged the development and stated that the aircraft was cleared to continue its route after a thorough security scan. “Flight 292 was inspected by law enforcement and cleared to re-depart,” the airline said in a statement. This incident adds to a growing list of mid-air bomb threats that have rattled the aviation industry in recent months, including several involving Indian carriers like Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara.