BELAGAVI: A Star Air flight from Belagavi to Mumbai was forced to return just 15 minutes after take-off on Saturday morning after a technical issue was detected mid-air. The pilot’s prompt action ensured the safe landing of all 48 passengers aboard flight S5 111, with no injuries reported. The flight, scheduled to depart at 7.50 am, took off on time but around 8.05 am, the pilot noticed a technical irregularity and decided to turn back as a precaution.
The aircraft landed safely at Belagavi Airport by 8.30 am. While initial reports described the incident as an “emergency landing”, airport authorities clarified that it was a routine safety measure. “When a technical issue is detected, pilots either return to the origin airport or land at the nearest one for inspection. This was not an emergency,” said Belagavi Airport director Tyagarajan.
Star Air’s engineering team immediately began inspecting the aircraft, though officials did not disclose the nature of the technical snag. Passengers were largely unaware of the situation until the aircraft began descending back to Belagavi.
Some were alarmed by speculation among fellow travelers about a possible fuel leak, which authorities later denied. “There was no major technical problem,” officials confirmed. Shriniwas Pujar, a passenger from Hubballi traveling with five family members, said: “We were heading to Dwarka via a connecting flight from Mumbai.
We were shocked when the flight turned back and worried about our plans.” Star Air, which has its base at Belagavi Airport, arranged a replacement flight at 2.30 pm to accommodate affected passengers. While several opted to wait for the rescheduled departure, others chose to return home.