A Boeing 737-700 airliner belonging to Mozambique Airlines (LAM), bound for Lichinga, suffered a serious malfunction in mid-flight on Thursday morning, with 120 people on board. The only reason the worst didn't happen was due to the experience of the pilot and his crew.

The aircraft, which was carrying a lot of cargo as well as passengers, broke down two minutes after taking off from Maputo International Airport. According to a report in the newspaper "O País", the malfunction occurred due to a broken angle of attack, which caused the plane to lose power and speed, forcing the captain to make an emergency landing on the spot where he took off. No one was injured.

It should be noted that earlier this month, a breakdown of four aircraft led to the rescheduling of flights by Mozambique Airlines, which affected several passengers. The company explained that the one-off repair of the aircraft required more time.

Four LAM aircraft were grounded due to a breakdown, the company said in a statement.

Passengers from Maputo bound for Beira, Chimoio, Tete, Quelimane and Pemba were prevented from continuing their trip and, worse, without any clarification.