United flight diverted to Pittsburgh after security concern, passengers evacuated safely

A United Airlines flight from Chicago to New York was diverted to Pittsburgh on Saturday after a reported security concern, and all 159 passengers and six crew members got off safely using emergency slides after the aircraft landed.

United Flight 2092 was bound for New York’s LaGuardia Airport from Chicago O’Hare International Airport when it was sent to Pittsburgh International Airport around 11:45 a.m., according to Federal Aviation Administration information described as preliminary and subject to change. Allegheny County Police said the county bomb squad was called at 11:47 a.m., just after the plane came down.

Passengers and crew evacuated on the tarmac, and authorities reported no injuries. Allegheny County Police said its explosive ordnance disposal team and K-9 units then searched the aircraft, passengers and luggage and found no explosives or other negative results. FBI special agent bomb technicians and other agents assisted local authorities at the airport.

The FBI said it was aware of a reported threat onboard a flight headed to New York, while Pittsburgh International Airport spokesman Bob Kerlik said emergency crews responded quickly, the plane was screened with negative results, law enforcement cleared the scene and passengers were rebooked on another aircraft to continue to their destination.

The airport remained open and operational during the response, despite the emergency evacuation and the law-enforcement sweep. That distinction matters in aviation security, where a reported threat can trigger a fast, layered response even when authorities ultimately find no device or other evidence of danger.

Officials did not immediately say what prompted the initial concern, and the investigation remained ongoing. For passengers on Flight 2092, the disruption ended with a safe landing, a rapid evacuation and a transfer to another aircraft, but the scrutiny that followed underscored how seriously aviation authorities treat any report tied to a possible onboard security threat.