BY Rosemary
A Turkish Airlines flight bound for Barcelona was forced to make an emergency landing on Thursday after a passenger caused a security scare by creating an in-flight wireless network whose name referenced a bomb threat, airline and police officials said.
The incident occurred as Turkish Airlines flight TK1853, traveling from Istanbul to Barcelona, was nearing its destination at Barcelona–El Prat International Airport. According to the airline, a passenger onboard the Airbus A321 set up a personal internet access point during the flight and assigned it a network name containing language interpreted as a bomb threat.
Once the issue was detected, the flight crew alerted authorities and followed established safety protocols, prompting the aircraft to carry out an emergency landing at the airport. Emergency and security services were placed on alert as a precaution while the situation was assessed.
Spanish Civil Guard officers boarded the aircraft after it landed and conducted a thorough inspection. Police later confirmed that no explosive device or other dangerous material was found on board, and the threat was determined to be unfounded.
Airport operations were not disrupted by the incident, and flights at Barcelona–El Prat continued as normal, the Civil Guard said.
Turkish Airlines emphasized that passenger safety remains its top priority and said the return flight was scheduled to operate normally following the incident. Authorities did not immediately say whether the passenger responsible for the wireless network name would face charges or other legal consequences.
The episode highlights the sensitivity of aviation security procedures, where even indirect or nonverbal references to threats can trigger emergency responses to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.
Original article
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