United Airlines plane to New York diverts due to ‘bomb scare’ after take-off | World | News
A United Airlines flight was forced to change route due to a possible bomb threat shortly after takeoff. Flight UA2092 declared an emergency after leaving Chicago O’Hare International Airport for New York on Saturday morning. Flight tracking app FlightDeck said the emergency and subsequent diversion to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was due to a “bomb threat.”
The Boeing 737 MAX 8 is said to vocalize 7700, the transponder code used to give an in-flight emergency signal, after reaching cruising altitude. A “possible bomb” appears to be mentioned in the messages reportedly sent via the Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) and shared on social media.
One message reads “ONE NUMBER OF SECONDS PER BEEP / POSSIBLE BOMB”, indicating that the crew believed there was a potential explosive threat, possibly associated with a repetitive beep or an item fitting that description.
The messages also show crew and ground crews considering routing options, with “CLE OR PIT” referring to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, or Pittsburgh, and “KORD KLGA” identifying the original route using airport codes.
The timestamp “CREW 15:42Z / 10:42 CDT” places the exchange at around 10:42 local time in Chicago.
Squawk 7700 is a universal transponder code used by pilots to indicate a general emergency in flight, immediately alerting Air Traffic Control (ATC) to the need for priority response, emergency assistance and clear airspace.
It is the aviation equivalent of Mayday and indicates conditions such as engine failure, medical problems or technical failures.
When they receive a bomb threat, pilots immediately report emergency 7700 to ATC. This allows the crew to prioritize the landing and receive immediate response after landing, such as waiting in a remote area for the police.
