SFO-bound United flight returns to Sydney airport over mechanical issue

SAN FRANCISCO - A United Airlines flight bound for San Francisco was forced to return to Sydney, Australia, due to an undisclosed maintenance issue.

The Boeing 777 aircraft, with 183 passengers and crew aboard, had to make an emergency landing on Monday just two hours into the 14-hour flight, the airline said.

Passengers were subsequently rebooked on another flight for Tuesday.

This marks the seventh incident involving United Airlines in the past week.

On Saturday, a United flight returned to Chicago O'Hare International Airport due to a maintenance issue.

Last Friday, a United flight from San Francisco International Airport to Mexico City was diverted to Los Angeles after encountering a hydraulics issue.

Also on Friday, a United plane veered off a runway and into a grassy field at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

Then, last Thursday, a United jet bound for Japan from San Francisco International Airport lost a wheel during takeoff.

On Monday, a United flight from Honolulu to San Francisco International Airport safely landed after an engine failure mid-flight.

Also on that same day, a flight from Houston to Florida made an emergency landing after an engine caught fire mid-flight.