Mumbai/IBNS/UNI: An Air India Mumbai-New York flight was forced to return from Iranian airspace early on Tuesday morning following some technical issues, official sources said.

The flight, AI-119, bound for JFK Airport in New York took off around 2.20 am and returned after a few hours.

The sources said that there were certain ‘minor’ technical issues in the aircraft and the decision to fly back to Mumbai was taken to conduct precautionary checks in the interest of passengers and crew safety.

An alternative flight was being arranged to fly out the stranded passengers expeditiously even as they were given hotel accommodation, flight options, cabs, and meals, said the sources.