Airline passengers told to start praying

An Iranian pilot reportedly called on his passengers to pray after the plane he was flying suffered a mid-air technical failure.

Those onboard the Aseman Airlines Boeing plane had already endured a six-hour delay and had been airbound for just 45 minutes when the desperate plea was made, reports ISNA.

A passenger said: "The plane took off at 0015 in the morning and had to land back in Tehran after 45 minutes. The pilot told the passengers, 'The plane is facing a technical problem and has to return. So please pray'."

The flight returned to Tehran in the early hours of Thursday morning.