Thiruvananthapuram: An Air Arabia flight bound for Abu Dhabi made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport on Friday evening after a technical fault was detected shortly after takeoff.

The flight, which departed at 7:54 pm with 171 passengers and seven crew members on board, returned to the airport and landed safely at 8:30 pm. According to reports, the captain noticed a problem with the hydraulic system of the aircraft's rear wheels and informed air traffic control that the flight could not continue.

In response, the airport activated emergency protocols. The fire department, medical team, CISF QRT commandos, and airline staff were all put on alert to ensure a safe landing.

The aircraft, which had been carrying fuel for the long journey to Abu Dhabi, landed safely after adjusting for the return flight. It was then moved to remote bay 44, where the airline’s technical team began work to fix the issue.

There is no official update yet on when the flight will be rescheduled.