Lisbon-bound TAP plane returns to Luanda after technical problem detected

A Lisbon bound TAP airplane carrying 262 people returned to Luanda shortly after taking off from the Angolan capital Sunday night, TAP officials said Monday.

The plane landed again 50 minutes after takeoff when a technical malfunction was detected in the engines, TAP spokeswoman Isabel Palma told The Associated Press.

"It was not an emergency landing, just a precaution after the fault was detected," Palma said. "The plane landed safely with no injuries to the passengers and now the main thing is getting them to Lisbon as planned."

Palma said the grounded plane was being examined and repaired and that TAP was sending a plane from Lisbon to Luanda on Monday morning to pick up the stranded passengers.