A Kozhikode-bound Air India Express flight carrying 160 passengers made a precautionary landing at Cochin International Airport on Thursday due to issues with the aircraft's tyres, an airline official said.

An Air India Express spokesperson explained that the Jeddah-Kozhikode flight was diverted to Kochi and "made a precautionary landing due to suspected damage to the aircraft’s tyre likely caused by a foreign object on the runway at Jeddah airport."

"The aircraft landed safely in Kochi, and all guests are being connected to Kozhikode by road. We regret the inconvenience caused and reiterate that safety remains our highest priority in every aspect of our operations," the spokesperson added.

He also clarified that only the tyres were affected, and there were no problems with the landing gears.

"Also it is not an emergency landing. It is a precautionary landing to Kochi as Karipur is a table top airport," the official said.

Earlier, the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) stated that it had successfully facilitated the "safe emergency landing" of Air India Express flight IX 398 from Jeddah to Kozhikode, which was diverted to Kochi due to a technical issue involving the right main landing gear and tyre failure.

The aircraft touched down safely at 9.07 am under full emergency conditions, the statement said.

"All emergency services were activated in advance, and there were no injuries reported among passengers or crew. Post-landing inspection confirmed that both right-side tyres had burst," a CIAL spokesperson added.

Following the incident, the runway was cleared and released for regular operations, the statement noted.