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Air France flight diverted after 'suspicious' cell phone found on plane

By Michael Bartiromo Fox News
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An international Air France flight bound for Chicago was diverted to Ireland just two hours after takeoff following the discovery of a “suspicious” cell phone that didn’t belong to anyone onboard.

Flight AF136, which departed from the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris on Sunday, was granted clearance to land at Ireland’s Shannon Airport after the flight crew informed air traffic controllers of the find.

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The passenger who originally discovered the phone found it stuck in the seat. Crew members attempted to locate the owner of the phone over the intercom — multiple times, reportedly — before determining the "suspicious" phone did not belong to any of the passengers, according to the Irish Times.

The flight was later met by emergency crews and police upon landing at the Shannon Airport, where the phone was handed over to authorities for inspection. The plane then continued on to Chicago, the airline confirmed.

Air France diverted the flight to Ireland as a “precautionary measure," the airline confirmed.

Air France diverted the flight to Ireland as a “precautionary measure," the airline confirmed. (iStock)

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Air France described the flight’s diversion to Ireland as a “precautionary measure” in a statement shared with Fox News, while also reiterating its commitment to security.

“Air France states that all customers and crew members are subject to a security screening inspection before being allowed to board a flight and that flight safety is its main priority,” the airline said.

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Authorities believe the phone may have been left by a passenger on the plane’s previous flight, and simply overlooked when the aircraft was cleaned, the Times reported. The phone was returned to Air France staff after the screening.