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A San Francisco-bound Air India flight returned to Delhi on Wednesday after developing a technical snag mid-air, the airline said.

The Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft operating flight AI173 had remained airborne for more than eight hours before returning safely to the national capital, according to flight tracking data.

The flight was carrying around 230 passengers.

“Flight AI173 from Delhi to San Francisco on May 27 has returned to Delhi due to a technical issue in accordance with the laid down procedures,” Air India said in a statement.

The airline said the aircraft landed safely in Delhi and would undergo a detailed technical inspection in line with safety protocols.

Data from flight tracking platform FlightRadar24 showed that the aircraft stayed airborne for over eight hours before being diverted back to Delhi.

Air India said alternative arrangements were being made to fly passengers to San Francisco at the earliest.

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“We regret the inconvenience caused to the passengers and are making alternative arrangements to fly them to their destination as soon as possible. In the meantime, our ground teams are providing all necessary assistance to the passengers, including refreshments, hotel accommodation or rescheduling as opted by them,” the airline said.

 

The incident comes days after another Air India flight travelling from Bengaluru to Delhi declared a full emergency at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport following a suspected engine fire warning.

Flight AI2802, carrying 171 passengers on an Airbus A320 aircraft, landed safely on runway 29R and was later towed away.

Air India had then said the cockpit crew received an engine fire warning during the aircraft’s final approach to Delhi, which was later confirmed to be genuine.

The airline said it had initiated a full investigation into the incident in coordination with regulatory authorities.

 

The latest technical snag involving the San Francisco-bound flight is also expected to undergo detailed examination.