A major mid-air mishap was averted on Wednesday (March 11), as Air India's Delhi-boundflightreturned to Thiruvananthapuram after five mins of take off due to a technical issue in one of the aircraft's engines, the airline said in its statement. Air India AI830 made a precautionary return as per standard operating procedure.

The flight departed around 5:30 in the morning, and within just five minutes, it came back to its origin, according to the airport sources.

“The crew operating flight AI830 from Trivandrum to Delhi on 11 March decided to make a precautionary return to Trivandrum shortly after take-off due to a technical issue as per standard operating procedure," Air India said in a statement.

"The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers and crew disembarked," the airline added.

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Moreover, the aircraft is currently undergoing necessary checks, and alternative arrangements have been made to fly the passengers to their destination.

"Air India sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused due to this unforeseen situation. Our ground team at Trivandrum is providing immediate assistance to the affected passengers. At Air India, the safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remain top priority," the airline said in its statement.

In another incident, a passenger was booked for allegedly smoking a 'beedi' inside the toilet of a Delhi-Goa Akasa Air flight on March 8, the officials said. The incident took place when the accused, identified as Ashish, a Delhi resident, was travelling on flight QP1625 from the national capital to the coastal state.

As per the airline's complaint, the passenger allegedly smoked a 'beedi' (hand-rolled cigarette) inside the plane lavatory during the flight and was also found in possession of a lighter, which could pose a risk to the safety of the aircraft and passengers on board, a police official said on Sunday.

A case has been registered against the passenger at the Mopa airport police station in Goa under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation Act.

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