2 fighters Jets Escort New York Delhi flight to Bomb fright

A American Airlines flight from New York bound in Delhi was diverted to Rome after a “bomb fright” on Sunday afternoon (local time). Two euros fighter planes from the Italian Air Force accompanied the aircraft to safety again. Visuals published by the Italian Air Force Show Fighter Jets on both sides of the commercial aircraft and guard it at the Fiumicino airport in Rome.

The Italian Air Force shared the pictures on social media with a caption. “) Due to a report of a suspected explosives on board.”

#Gerangel: 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 verse verso l'eroporto di Fiumicino (RM) Pro una segnalazione di Unlressso Ordigno on Bordo on Bordo pic.twitter.com/qocq43lc6h

– Aeronautica Militare (@italianairforce) February 23, 2025

“They asked us to sit down and not walk around while the fighter planes were near us,” Mahesh Kumar, an IT consultant on board the flight, recalled in accordance with the AFP news agency.

The American Airlines Flight AA292 started on Saturday (February 22nd) at 8:11 p.m. (local time) from New York John F Kennedy International Airport, as the flight Tracker Flightsware emerges. It turned over while it flew over the Caspian Sea.

About three hours before landing in Delhi, the pilot announced the distraction to Rome for “security reasons”, said Kumar. “Everyone was afraid. Everyone stayed calm and obeyed the orders,” Kumar told AFP.

199 passengers and the crew were on board the flight to Delhi.

The carrier, based in the USA, did not share any details about the type of “possible safety concerns”. However, Italy's news agency Ansa said that the distraction was caused by an “alleged bomb threat”.

Yash Raj, another passenger, described the event as a “horror comedy”.

Life always gives me these little horror comedies. Was on American Airlines AA292 😂 pic.twitter.com/yq8keaed3c

– Yash Raj (@Yraj__) February 23, 2025

He later thanked the cabin crew for the good situation. “We also safely abolished the plane. The cabin crew that treated the situation so well. Everyone on the plane was calm,” he wrote.