United Airlines Flight 236, a Boeing 767-400ER bound for Palma de Mallorca, Spain, declared an emergency and diverted back to Newark Liberty International Airport on May 30 after a Bluetooth device on board was found broadcasting under the name “BOMB.” The flight departed Newark at 6:08 PM and was roughly 60 minutes into its transatlantic crossing — passing the coast of Nova Scotia — when crew noticed the threatening device name visible to all passengers and staff. The crew issued repeated PA warnings and ultimately gave a one-minute ultimatum to disable all Bluetooth; when at least two devices remained visible after the deadline, pilots squawked emergency code 7700 and turned the aircraft around, landing back at Newark around 8:50 PM. Air traffic control audio archived by LiveATC.net captured a ground crew member explaining: “Someone had a Bluetooth speaker and they named it a certain four-letter word — so they have to inspect the whole aircraft including the cargo area.” The incident was traced to a 16-year-old passenger. United confirmed the flight “safely returned to Newark to address a potential security concern,” with 190 passengers and 12 crew on board.
Passengers were met at the gate by law enforcement, required to deplane and clear TSA security a second time before a replacement flight — operated by the same 767-400ER (registration N67052) — departed at approximately 2:30 AM the following morning. First-person accounts flooded r/unitedairlines in real time as the diversion unfolded. United has not stated whether the teenager faces legal consequences. The episode closely mirrors an incident earlier in May in which a United pilot gave a passenger 30 seconds to rename an inflammatory Wi-Fi hotspot or face the FBI upon landing — United’s third notable in-flight security disruption within a month, following a separate domestic diversion over an unruly passenger and a ground collision at Newark involving a light pole and delivery truck.
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