United Flight Forced To Return To LAX Due To Mechanical Issue

LOS ANGELES, CA — For the third time in months, a passenger jet was forced to turn back to Los Angeles International Airport hours into a flight over the Pacific Ocean Tuesday morning.

United Airlines Flight 2373 headed for Kona, Hawaii experienced a mechanical issue mid-flight and had to turn back to LAX,KTLA reported.

The plane landed safely, and all 226 passengers and seven crew members exited the plain, according to authorities.

The flight took off at 8:55 a.m. and returned to Los Angeles at 12:15 p.m. due to an undisclosed mechanical issue affecting the Boeing 757-300, according to KTLA.

Earlier this month, on Dec. 2, a red-eye Qantas flight QF16 headed to Brisbane, Australia from LAX was forced to return to Los Angeles and request priority landing, according to authorities.

In October, an American Airlines flight to Sidney made an emergency landing at LAX Thursday after a cabin warning light went off, according to the airline.

An American Airlines spokesperson later described the warning light as a false alarm.

Also, this week, federal aviation authorities are investigating a near-miss at LAX after a charter jet carrying a college basketball team nearly encroached on a runway where a Delta passenger jet was taking off.

SEE ALSO: LAX Near-Miss Between Delta And College Team's Plane Investigated