United Flight Diverts After Laptop Falls Into Cargo Hold

A United Airlines Boeing 767 (Flight 126) from Washington Dulles to Rome turned back near the U.S. coast on Oct. 15 after a passenger’s laptop fell through a gap behind a cabin wall panel into the cargo hold. The device was powered on and contained a lithium‑ion battery in a part of the hold that lacks nearby fire suppression, so the crew—calling the move an abundance of caution rather than an emergency—diverted to Dulles and landed roughly two hours after takeoff. Maintenance crews recovered the laptop, the jet refueled and re‑departed about three hours after the initial takeoff, and the flight ultimately arrived in Rome several hours late with about 216 passengers aboard. Reporters and aviation observers noted the safety rationale, raised questions about a cabin‑to‑cargo design gap that allowed the device to pass through the wall, and praised the pilots for prioritizing passenger safety. The episode is documented in an ATC recording, airline statements and flight‑tracking data cited in news reports.