An Air India Express flight (IX 1358) bound for Vijayawada was forced to return to the Visakhapatnam International Airport shortly after takeoff on Tuesday evening due to a technical issue, according to official sources.Airport authorities said, "The flight crew detected a technical snag shortly after departure, and prioritising passenger safety, immediately initiated the return procedure. The aircraft landed safely at the Visakhapatnam airport, and all passengers on board are reported to be safe.Officials are currently investigating the nature of the technical fault to ensure the aircraft is cleared before resuming operations. Published - June 02, 2026 11:15 pm IST