TOKYO - A domestic flight of Japan’s All Nippon Airways returned to its departure airport on Jan 13 after a crack was found on the cockpit window of the Boeing 737-800 aircraft midair, a spokesperson for the airline said.

Flight 1182 was en route to Toyama airport but headed back to the Sapporo-New Chitose airport after the crack was found on the outermost of four layers of windows surrounding the cockpit, the spokesperson said.

The spokersperson added that no injuries were reported among the 59 passengers and six crew.

The aircraft was not one of Boeing’s 737 Max 9 planes. These have been in the spotlight after a cabin panel broke off a new Alaska Airlines jet in midair last week.

“The crack was not something that affected the flight’s control or pressurisation,” the ANA spokesperson said.

The United States’ aviation regulator on Jan 12 extended the grounding of Boeing 737 Max 9 planes indefinitely for new safety checks and announced it will tighten oversight of Boeing itself. REUTERS