On a Saturday evening, a United Airlines flight from Newark, New Jersey, to Palma de Mallorca, Spain, returned to Newark around four hours into the journey. This decision followed the detection of a suspiciously named Bluetooth device on board.

Flight tracking data revealed the plane should have completed an almost eight-hour trip to Spain. Instead, the aircraft performed a U-turn, amid potential security concerns, as confirmed by United Airlines in an email to NPR.

Passengers onboard shared their experiences through social media. They described having photographs and videos of themselves during the flight and at Newark Liberty International Airport, with timelines consistent with the flight’s schedule. Some passengers mentioned announcements from flight attendants requesting the deactivation of Bluetooth devices. Others reported hearing comments like, “this little joke is ruining it for everyone.”

Audio from air traffic control, available on LiveATC.net, provided more details about the situation. A voice on the recording inquired about the flight’s unexpected return, while another voice explained that a Bluetooth speaker was involved. The speaker had been named with a particular four-letter word, necessitating a thorough inspection of the plane and an evacuation of passengers.

The word “bomb” was identified as the trigger, noted by a passenger on TikTok who shared a video showing her enjoying sangria in Palma de Mallorca, marking her arrival after the flight’s delay. A Reddit post from someone claiming to be a passenger’s spouse also stated that the speaker belonged to a teenager.

The flight finally resumed its journey and landed in Palma de Mallorca at 3:47 p.m. local time on Sunday, approximately nine and a half hours behind schedule.