New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS): India's aviation regulator DGCA is investigating an incident wherein a cargo-only flight of budget airline GoAir took off from Chennai with 160 passengers, without the clearance to land at the destination, Port Blair.

An official with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said that the regulator is probing the incident and if the flight was meant to serve as a cargo-only flight.

An airline spokesperson said: "GoAir flight G8 1305 from Chennai to Port Blair did an air turn back/diversion due to operational reasons and landed in Chennai with 160 passengers on board."

The spokesperson further said that the airline has the utmost care and rendered all the required assistance to the passengers.

"The airline sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to the passengers," the spokesperson added.

Viral Patel, a passenger who was on onboard the flight, tweeted from his Twitter handle, '@patelv847',: "@goairlinesindia WHAT you did to us yesterday IS PATHETIC while going from Chennai to Port Blair."