Chennai, Oct. 2 (PTI): A Coimbatore-bound Jet Airways plane carrying Union home minister P. Chidambaram was today forced to return here after it developed a technical snag mid-air, prompting the directorate general of civil aviation to seek an explanation from the airline.

The problem in the second engine of the ATR-72 plane was noticed 30 minutes after it took off. The pilot then sought permission for a “safe landing”, airport officials said.

As the Air Traffic Control gave the green signal to the pilot of the Jet flight to land in Chennai, CISF personnel and officials of the Airports Authority of India put in place standby precautionary measures, including fire tenders, the officials said.

However, the pilot managed to steer the snag-hit flight, which had 63 others on board, including three crew members, to a safe landing, they added.

Chidambaram and the rest of the passengers left by another plane to Coimbatore, where the minister attended an official programme.

The DGCA has sought details on the snag.

Chidambaram sought to play down the incident, saying it was a “very small thing”.

“There is nothing major. It’s a very small thing. Don’t make it a big issue,” Chidambaram told reporters in Coimbatore.