A SpiceJet flight with 69 passengers and crew turned back soon after taking off for Bagdogra and made an emergency landing at Calcutta airport as smoke was detected at the rear side of the cabin following a loud sound on Monday, officials said.

The Boeing 737-300 series aircraft (Flight SG 275) took off from Calcutta at 4.23pm. Soon after, some crew members and passengers heard a sound, which was followed by smoke.

The pilot made a Mayday distress call to the air traffic control and a full emergency was declared. Fire tenders and ambulances were kept on standby while the flight made an emergency landing at 4.37pm,” an airport official said.

Mayday is a distress call issued by pilots during a life-threatening situation.

Among the passengers were Virendra, the state's director general of police, and Surajit Kar Purkayastha, the security adviser to the state government, said officials.

“I was at the front. I didn’t hear any sound but there was panic among passengers sitting at the back,” said one of the passengers on the aircraft. Some of them were shouting in panic.

The stranded passengers were sent to Bagdogra by another Spice Jet flight, which took off at 6.06pm, said officials.

The affected aircraft was grounded and till late on Monday evening, engineers were trying to detect the cause of the smoke and the sound.