December 9, 2024
AirDrop message containing bomb menace delays American Airways flight –
iPhone 12 airdrop

Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority

TL;DR

  • A juvenile has been arrested for sending out a bomb menace to passengers aboard an American Airways flight through AirDrop.
  • The particular person used the iOS service to inform passengers they wish to share a photograph of a bomb they’re carrying.
  • The aircraft was carrying 125 passengers and eight crew members.

A juvenile suspect has been arrested for sending out bomb threats to passengers aboard an American Airways flight. The aircraft carrying 125 passengers and eight crew members was flying out of El Paso Worldwide Airport. It was delayed by 4 hours after iOS-using passengers acquired the next message through AirDrop: “I’ve a bomb wish to share a photograph.”

AirDrop, Apple’s proprietary wi-fi file switch service, can be utilized to share pictures, movies, and different sorts of recordsdata between iOS units. The sender and receivers should be close by and inside Bluetooth and Wi-Fi vary. Nonetheless, iPhone, Mac, or iPad customers want to permit AirDrop to obtain objects or make their units discoverable for somebody to ship them one thing utilizing the service. The incident is a reminder to not hold this setting activated always.

macos airdrop settings

On this case, the unnamed juvenile confessed to sending out a menace through AirDrop. Nonetheless, earlier than the suspect’s arrest, the bomb squad needed to sweep the entire plane. Fortunately, passengers, baggage, and all different areas of the airplane have been discovered adverse for explosives.

The menace “was mitigated and deemed non-credible,” in line with a information launch despatched out by the Texas Division of Public Security (through KTSM).

In the meantime, the police seized the juvenile’s telephone and located proof of the prank AirDrop message on it. The El Paso County Lawyer’s Workplace will prosecute the particular person for false alarm or report.