American Airlines flight 1847, traveling from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Dallas Fort Worth, Texas, returned to its origin shortly after takeoff on 4/7 due to a security concern, an airline spokesperson said.
The incident began when a female passenger saw the person next to her receive a text message containing the abbreviation "R.I.P." and misinterpreted it as a threat to the flight. She immediately informed a flight attendant that the plane was under a bomb threat.
The flight attendant notified the pilots, who then activated emergency safety procedures. The plane, carrying 189 people, turned back just 30 minutes after departure and returned to Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan.
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An American Airlines plane on the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport, New York, in 1/2023. Photo: AP |
An American Airlines plane on the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport, New York, in 1/2023. Photo: AP
After the plane landed safely, law enforcement conducted an inspection and cleared the aircraft for operation. The flight departed on 5/7 and landed in Texas without further incident.
Puerto Rican authorities questioned the passenger who received the text message. The passenger explained that a family member had died the previous day, prompting them to cut their vacation short and return to the US. The text message was a condolence message.
"It was a misunderstanding and it was handled according to safety procedures. There was no threat to the flight or the passengers," said Nelman Nevarez, executive director of Aerostar, the company that manages Luis Munoz Marin International Airport.
Huyen Le (According to People, USA Today, NY Post)
