An plane bound for Beijing returned half an hour after taking off from Shanghai Tuesday afternoon due to mechanical failure.

The flight, MU5117, left Shanghai Hongqiao Airport at 4 p.m. but turned around and made an emergency landing at about 4:30 p.m., said a man surnamed Li who was in charge of publicity with China Eastern Airlines.

All passengers were safe, he said. They boarded another plane which took off at about 7:50 p.m.

The aircraft was an A330 with a capacity of 335 passengers, but Li didn't disclose how many people were on the flight when the mechanical failure occurred.

It normally takes less than two and a half hours to fly from Shanghai to Beijing.

(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2009)