A Virgin Australia plane has been forced to turn back to Brisbane mid-flight after reporting a hydraulic issue.

Flight VA1239, which departed Brisbane for Rockhampton at 3.14pm AEST on Tuesday, was placed in a holding pattern north of the airport shortly after take-off.

According to FlightAware, the aircraft was diverted at 3.19pm and circled the area for some time before preparing to land, with an estimated arrival of 4.44pm.

The plane’s highest altitude was recorded at 8900ft — well below its planned cruising altitude of 32,000ft.

The aircraft involved is a 30-year-old Fokker 70 twin-jet with a capacity of 80 passengers.

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