Thiruvananthapuram:Air India Express flight had to make an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport shortly after takeoff due to smoke reported in the aircraft.

The flight, which was heading to Muscat, took off with 142 passengers on board. All passengers and crew members are reported to be safe.

Passengers were evacuated through emergency doors. The flight, originally scheduled to depart at 8:30 am, had faced delays due to technical issues. At 10:30 am, as the flight was preparing for takeoff, smoke was spotted in the passenger cabin. The flight attendants quickly alerted the pilot, leading to the air traffic control being informed. 

Fire force vehicles soon arrived. CISF commandos, along with Air India Express and airport staff, evacuated the passengers through the emergency door located in the middle of the plane. Following the evacuation, the airline's technical experts inspected the aircraft. All 142 passengers were safely taken to the security area of the airport.