An American Airlines flight bound for Dallas-Fort Worth was forced to turn around mid-air on Thursday after a passenger reported a chilling message they spotted on another traveler’s phone, prompting a security scare.
Flight 1847 had only been in the air for about 30 minutes after departing San Juan’s Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport when a concerned flyer alerted the cabin crew about a message they saw that read “R.I.P,” commonly understood as “Rest in Peace.” Fearing the worst, the passenger assumed it indicated a potential threat to the flight.
The pilot immediately reported the situation, as heard in cockpit audio obtained by the Daily Mail, stating, “We have a threat onboard with text messaging between passengers and flight members, so we’re going to need authorities at the gate to meet us just to figure out what’s going on here.”
The flight, carrying 193 passengers, safely returned to San Juan, where law enforcement officials, including Aerostar’s deputy director of security Félix Alvarado, boarded the aircraft to investigate.
A Message Misunderstood
After questioning, officials discovered that the passenger who received the message was grieving a recent family loss and had cut their vacation short to attend to the situation. The message, containing “R.I.P,” was unrelated to any security threat.
“It was a mix-up that was handled in accordance with safety protocols,” said Aerostar operations director Nelman Nevárez. “There was no real threat to the flight or its passengers.”
Flight Resumes After Clearance
The aircraft remained grounded for inspection, but after authorities confirmed no threat, the plane was cleared to resume its journey. It departed San Juan once again around 10 a.m., completing its route to Dallas-Fort Worth.
A spokesperson for American Airlines confirmed the incident, stating, “Safety and security are our top priorities and we apologize to our customers for the inconvenience.”
The U.S. territory’s Office of Explosives and Public Safety confirmed the incident was resolved without any charges.
Authorities Encourage Vigilance
Officials emphasized that while the situation was a misunderstanding, passengers are always encouraged to report concerns when they feel safety could be at risk.
The incident follows heightened sensitivity in air travel, where even minor misunderstandings can trigger precautionary responses from airlines and law enforcement.
