Ahmedabad-bound Air India plane returns to Delhi due to suspected smoke indication

An Ahmedabad-bound Air India plane returned to the Delhi airport on Thursday evening due to suspected smoke in the cargo hold area, according to sources.

After checks, the smoke indication was found to be false, sources said.

The Delhi-Ahmedabad flight AI2939, operated with an Airbus A320 aircraft, had around 170 people on board, they added.

An airline official said the aircraft returned to Delhi shortly after take-off due to a smoke indication, which was later found to be false after the aircraft underwent thorough precautionary checks.

Following standard operating procedures, the aircraft landed in Delhi and the passengers and crew were disembarked safely, the official said.

Passengers were later flown to Ahmedabad in another aircraft.