Air Algerie flight AH1020 has returned to Algiers due to technical problems and landed safely, according to local media reports. A source from Air Algerie told RIA Novosti that the aircraft returned to Algeria due to a technical glitch. Flight radar shows the plane turning back on itself and cruising over the Mediterranean towards Mahon. Sources at Ennahar TV said the aircraft had already landed in Algiers due to technical damage.

The passenger aeroplane flying from Algiers to Marseille had declared a mid-air emergency and then disappeared off air traffic control radar, according to reports. The Boeing 737 took off on Saturday 6 August from Algiers in the afternoon, heading to Marseille when the plane made an emergency call soon after take-off.

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"Flight AH1020 is currently not tracked by Flightradar24. It's either out of coverage or has already landed," reports Flightradar24, an internet tracking website that shows real-time aircraft flight information.

Flight radar showed the aircraft turn around and head back towards the point where it took-off. However, before arriving, the plane disappeared from radar, according to the Mirror.

The last recorded altitude of the plane was some 7,000m, according to Flightradar 24.

The plane's status was listed as "unknown" by the plane tracking website, before tweeting: "We believe Air Algérie AH1020 to be a *coverage issue* NOT a missing aircraft. Our ADS-B coverage in Algeria is limited."

Flightradar 24 records show the missing Boeing 737-6D6 was 14 years old. The plane had 123 passenger seats. The number of people on board is not known.

Some flight experts say that Air Algérie AH1020 may not have been picked up

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