A New Delhi -bound Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flight has been forced to turn back on Monday after the pilot said the jet was facing a technical issue mid-air. The plane returned to its origin of Hong Kong as a precautionary measure, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The passenger jet - the same type as the aircraft involved in last week's tragedy - was bound for New Delhi but landed back in Hong Kong about an hour after take-off.

Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 carrying 242 people, crashed after taking off from Ahmedabad on its way to London.

An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for New Delhi returned to Hong Kong due to a suspected technical issue. This follows a recent crash of a similar aircraft in India. The plane landed safely,

The aircraft, Air India flight AI-171, took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon and crashed shortly after in the Meghaninagar area. The plane burst into flames upon impact. Fire and rescue teams were immediately dispatched to douse the blaze, confirmed fire officer Jayesh Khadia.

Boeing was generating optimism. Then on Thursday a 787 crashed, raising the specter of fresh problems for Boeing and altering the message it planned to send.