A Cathay Pacific airliner bound for Taipei in China's Taiwan was forced to return to Hong Kong after smoke was detected in the cockpit Monday evening, Hong Kong radio RTHK reported.

The Boeing 777-300 did an about turn some 20 minutes in to the flight and made an emergency landing at the Hong Kong international airport at Chek Lap Kok. All 380 passengers and 16 crew were safely evacuated, the radio report said.

The airline is investigating the emergency, it said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 10, 2006)