Lahore, Jul 9 - A New Delhi-bound Air India airplane made an emergency landing at Nawabshah in southern Sindh today after developing a technical problem with its hydraulic system, an official spokesman said. All 122 passengers and crew members on board the plane are safe.

The captain of the Airbus aircraft, going from Abu Dhabi to New Delhi, contacted Pakistani authorities and sought permission for an emergency landing after detecting the problem with the hydraulic system, Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Pervez George told PTI. The plane landed at Nawabshah airport in southern Sindh province at 3.37 am.

In New Delhi, an Air India spokesperson said: "The aircraft was flying over Pakistan air space when the pilot saw a warning light in the cockpit and sought permission to land at the nearest airport which was Nawabshah." 

The captain preferred to have the passengers remain on board the aircraft though Pakistani authorities had offered to allow them to disembark, George said. George said Air India could send another aircraft to take the stranded passengers and crew to India.

It was also possible that the private Shaheen airline, which has a tie-up with Air India, could provide an aircraft to ferry the passengers and crew to the nearest Indian airport, he said. A release plane with material and men will be shortly leaving Delhi for the spot to take the passengers. PTI