United Airlines flight diverted to Chicago following reported bomb scare

A United Airlines flight travelling to Los Angeles was diverted to Chicago after a reported bomb scare, prompted by a note in the plane bathroom.

The aircraft landed safely at the Chicago O’Hare International Airport at around 7.40am local time on Wednesday, according to the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), and all passengers were evacuated.

The Boeing 787 departed from Newark Liberty International Airport and was headed to Los Angeles International Airport, before crew members reported the “security concern”.

Following passenger evacuation, the aircraft was searched at a remote location at O’Hare Airport.

According to a preliminary police report, per CBS, a note was found in the bathroom stating the plane would blow up. The outlet also reported that a bomb-sniffing K-9 unit found one suspicious bag, and a robot was deployed to move it away.

Police are questioning the passenger who checked that bag and an airline source said the dog connected a scent from the threatening note and the bag, CBS reported.

However, in a statement shared with The Independent a spokesperson from FBI Chicago said there was no “imminent” threat to the public.

“Early this morning, FBI-Chicago and local partners responded to an incident with an aircraft at O’Hare Airport. There is no indication that there is an imminent threat to public safety or the facility itself at this time,” the statement read.

One individual on the flight said that passengers were told to leave all belongings on the aircraft and were taken back to the terminal by police with a police escort. He told CBS passengers’ bags were being checked.

"They are taking us back to a terminal I guess they will go through bags, maybe question us," the passenger said, speaking to the outlet as the incident unfolded. "We were forced to leave all of our stuff on the plane and have no idea what is happening next."

Another passenger described the evacuation and also said he had to leave everything he had on the plane.

"I would say two hours in, they said we were making an emergency landing in Chicago, they didn't say why," the passenger told CBS. "We couldn't get out of our seats, so when they landed, they said that someone had written on the mirror in one of the bathrooms that there was a bomb."

A spokesperson for United Airlines told The Independent that the flight was expected to depart for Los Angeles later on Wendesday afternoon.