Hyderabad, July 20 -- A technical malfunction forced an Air India Express flight from Shamshabad (Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad) to Phuket, Thailand, to return shortly after takeoff on Saturday morning, July 19.

The flight, Air India Express IX 110, took off at 6:49 am with 98 passengers on board. However, just eight minutes into the flight, a technical issue was detected. Acting swiftly, the pilot contacted Air Traffic Control (ATC), requesting permission for an emergency landing.

ATC responded immediately and granted clearance for the landing. The pilot expertly managed to land the aircraft safely back at Shamshabad Airport by 6:57 am, only eight minutes after takeoff. All passengers were reported safe, and there were ...