Mumbai: An Air India flight bound for Delhi was forced to return to Phuket on Friday after a mid-air security alert prompted the crew to initiate an emergency turnaround, an airline official confirmed.

Flight AI 379, operated by an Airbus A320neo, had departed Phuket International Airport at 9:30 AM local time and was scheduled to land in New Delhi at 12:40 PM (local time). However, during the cruising phase, the crew received a security alert that prompted the pilot to divert the aircraft back to the Thai island.

"The aircraft landed safely and is undergoing mandatory security checks at Phuket International Airport," the airline official said.

The exact number of passengers on board was not immediately available, though the official confirmed that all passengers and their baggage have been safely deplaned.

Security agencies are now conducting thorough checks of the aircraft, passenger luggage, and cargo. According to flight tracking service Flightradar24, the aircraft landed back at Phuket at 11:46 AM local time.