American Airlines makes U-turn after passenger sounds alarm over message on fellow traveler’s phone

An American Airlines flight departing San Juan, Puerto Rico on July 3 was forced to turn around after a passenger misinterpreted a text message received by another traveler and reported it to the cabin crew. - (Getty)

An American Airlines plane was forced to return to its origin airport after a snooping passenger spotted — and misinterpreted — a text message received by another traveler.

According to a report in local news outlet Primera Hora, a passenger on a July 3 flight leaving San Juan, Puerto Rico, saw another traveler receive a test message that said "RIP." Rest in peace is an idiom frequently used in relation to the recently dead.