An Air India flight, AI-191, had to turn back to Mumbai after taking off for Newark, USA, because of a technical problem. This happened on Wednesday, about three hours into the flight, but the exact cause of the issue is still unknown. The situation reminded some people of a previous plane crash in Ahmedabad.
The flight left Mumbai airport at 1:15 am. After three hours, the pilot and crew noticed a problem and decided to return to Mumbai for safety. Once the plane landed, it was taken out of service to be checked. Because of this, both the Mumbai-Newark flight and the Newark-Mumbai flight (AI-144) were cancelled.
Air India released a statement saying they have arranged hotels and alternative flights for passengers stuck in Mumbai. They also informed passengers in Newark about the situation and are making arrangements for them.
Third major issue with an Air India plane in a short time
This is the third major issue with an Air India plane in a short time. Recently, another flight, AI-315, from Hong Kong to Delhi had a technical problem before takeoff. A part of the plane was reset, causing a delay. It was supposed to leave at 8:50 am but finally took off around 11:30 am.
This same aircraft had a technical issue 18 days earlier while flying from Amritsar to Birmingham, England. At that time, a safety feature activated, and the pilot made an emergency landing.