Earlier I wrote about fighter jets scrambling as the American Airlines flight from New York JFK to Delhi diverted over two thousand miles back to Rome. It was closer to its destination than to its chosen diversion point. There was a reported bomb threat against the aircraft.
Here are photos of the American Airlines 787-9 being shadowed by what appear to be Eurofighter Typhoons.
#Scramble: nel pomeriggio due #Eurofighter dell'#AeronauticaMilitare sono decollati su allarme per identificare e scortare un aereo di linea diretto a Delhi che aveva invertito rotta verso l’aeroporto di Fiumicino (RM) per una segnalazione di un presunto ordigno esplosivo a bordo pic.twitter.com/qocq43lC6H
— Aeronautica Militare (@ItalianAirForce) February 23, 2025
It turns out that the threat was that a bomb would detonate as the aircraft descended to 10,000 feet on arrival at Delhi, as reported by aviation watchdog JonNYC.
RUMOR tells me: threat was made that a bomb would be set off just under 10,000 feet on approach to Delhi airport
RUMOR https://t.co/dcmCPzGoDk— JonNYC (@xJonNYC) February 23, 2025
if you're DMing with additional -details- those would be most interesting.
If you're DMing to tell me the rumor is factual– I already know that 🙂— JonNYC (@xJonNYC) February 23, 2025
Here are passengers deplaning the aircraft via air stairs on arrival in Rome. The aircraft had spent as much time in the air to get to Rome as it’s scheduled for all the way to Delhi.
Friends deplaning from AA292 in Rome earlier today after a bomb threat was made over the Caspian Sea. The flight landed while escorted by Italian fighter jets. American airlines 292 is safely on the ground all passengers safe. pic.twitter.com/sXgUAB53iK
— Herbert Hildebrandt (@herberandt) February 23, 2025
The aircraft was inspected on arrival. Passengers and crew will spend the night in Rome, to meet required crew rest, before continuing their journey to Delhi on Monday.
There have been a large number of bomb hoaxes against aircraft flying to India, with more than 1,000 recorded against both domestic and international flights in 2024 – a 10x increase over the previous year.
Are these bomb thread hoaxes originating from Pakistan?
You mean 2024, not 2014?
I’ve long wondered why there aren’t more threats in general. With sufficient effort it seems that any group could create utter chaos in the transportation industry and drive every government and traveler nuts. The penalties would be extremely harsh, as well they should be, but that wouldn’t stop some of these maniacs. Perhaps there are far more than we hear about, but that doesn’t change the serious response each one needs.
I’m sure there are plenty more we don’t heat about. Intelligence & law enforcement who what’s credible and what’s a drunken threat at 330am .The cost and complication of this threat says it had credibility.
This is not great. We cannot take safety for granted. Information is a weapon as much as actual violence these days.