A Delhi–Manchester flight operated by IndiGo made an unexpected mid-air U-turn near the Ethiopia border on Monday, with the reason for the diversion still unclear.

Flight 6E33, operated on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, had departed from Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on a scheduled service to Manchester in the United Kingdom. The aircraft was en route over East Africa when it abruptly changed course and returned toward Indian airspace.

Flight tracking data shows that the plane had approached the Ethiopian border before performing the sudden turnaround. There has been no indication of a technical fault or operational issue, and no official explanation has been provided by the airline.

Passengers on board were reportedly unaware of any immediate danger, and the flight later continued safely after returning to Indian airspace. The incident has prompted questions among aviation observers and raised concerns about mid-air diversions on long-haul international routes.

The report on the unusual manoeuvre was initially published at 13:39 IST and updated at 14:00 IST on 9 March 2026. Airline officials have yet to comment further on the cause of the mid-air U-turn.