An American Airlines flight travelling from New York to New Delhi made an unscheduled landing in Rome on Sunday afternoon due to a security concern, which was later determined to be unfounded, reports said.

The airline confirmed that Flight 292 landed safely at Leonardo da Vinci International Airport and was inspected by law enforcement before being cleared to continue its journey.

Although the airline did not specify the nature of the security concern, they stated that a protocol-required inspection had to take place before the flight could proceed to New Delhi.

The flight would remain in Rome overnight to allow for necessary crew rest before resuming its journey to India the following day.

A passenger aboard the flight, Neeraj Chopra, reported that the captain informed them about the diversion due to a “change in security status” about three hours before their expected arrival in New Delhi.

Chopra described the initial atmosphere as calm but said tension rose when the captain later announced that fighter jets would be escorting the aircraft to Rome.

A 22-year-old passenger from Dayton, Ohio, Jonathan Bacon, observed the flight’s unexpected turn on the in-flight tracker and noted the lack of internet connectivity for most of the journey.

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He and other passengers were later subjected to heightened security screenings upon arrival, resulting in extended wait times for their personal belongings.

Despite the disruptions, the airport confirmed normal operations continued.