Mumbai, Feb 12 - Tense moments were witnessed here Tuesday morning when a helicopter carrying Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan suddenly developed a technical snag and was forced to land soon after take-off, an official said.

Chavan was scheduled to go on a tour of the drought-hit Marathwada region Tuesday by the chopper belonging to the state government.

"Shortly after it took off, there was a signal warning of some technical snag after which the pilot aborted the flight. The chopper was landed at the Raj Bhavan helipad," an official from the Chief Minister's Office, requesting anonymity, told IANS.

All the occupants in the chopper, including Chavan, are safe. But the cause of the snag is not yet clear, he said.

Arrangements will be made for another chopper to fly Chavan out on his tour later in the day, the official added. (IANS)