United flight from Chicago to Vegas makes emergency landing in Nebraska due to engine issue

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A United Airlines flight from Chicago to Las Vegas was forced to make an emergency landing Saturday mid-trip.

Flight United 1888 stopped in Lincoln, Nebraska to address a technical issue, the airline said.

"We've sent another aircraft to Lincoln to pick up passengers so they can finish their trip today," United Airlines said in a statement.

The plane encountered an engine issue about 70 miles west of Lincoln, according to the Lincoln Airport Authority.

The pilot was able to turn the plane around and make an emergency landing at Lincoln Airport (LNK) around 11:41 a.m. without incident, airport authority officials added.

As of 4 p.m., the 239 passengers and crew from the flight were still at LNK waiting for another United Airlines plane coming from Denver to pick them up and complete the trip to Las Vegas. The plane was supposed to arrive at 3:15 p.m. but was delayed until 4:43 p.m., the airport authority said.