Upon nearing Italian airspace, the plane was reportedly escorted by Italian fighter jets as a precautionary measure. It landed safely in Rome at around 5:30 pm local time.
While authorities have not disclosed the precise nature of the security alert, sources suggest that a bomb threat was received mid-flight, necessitating an immediate assessment by airline and security officials. The decision to divert to Rome instead of opting for a closer landing site has drawn attention, with aviation experts attributing it to American Airlines’ established operational base in the Italian capital.
A spokesperson for Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci International Airport, Francesco Garibaldi, did not give the reason for the change in flight plans, however, said that security checks are being done.
By landing at a facility with existing security infrastructure and airline support, authorities could ensure a controlled investigation while minimising disruption for passengers. Despite the severity of the threat, the aircraft’s prolonged flight duration before diversion indicates that officials may have deemed the risk level manageable.
“We have safely deboarded the aircraft. Huge credit to the cabin crew for handling the situation so well. Everyone in the aircraft was calm,” says Yash Raj, a data scientist, who was on the flight.
