Smoke stops SAA plane take-off

Johannesburg - A flight from Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport to Cape Town had to turn around moments before take-off when the cabin of the aircraft began to fill with smoke, SA Airways (SAA) said on Monday.

"The plane returned to base before take-off. People are saying that it had to turn around in mid-flight, but it had not yet taken off when the passengers saw the smoke," said SAA spokesperson Dileseng Koetle said.

The passengers were moved to another plane and all reached Cape Town safely, she said.

SAA is investigating the cause of the smoke.