Photo: Contributed

UPDATED: 7:58 a.m.

An Air Astana plane with six crew on board and no passengers declared an emergency over Portugal on Sunday after experiencing problems with its command and control system but landed safely just over an hour later, a senior Portuguese Air Force officer said.

Lt. Gen. Manuel Costa told The Associated Press the plane, made by Brazilian manufacturer Embraer, landed at Beja air base, about 180 kilometres (90 miles) southeast of Lisbon, on Sunday afternoon.

He said nobody was hurt in the incident, though the plane was unable to land on its first attempt at Beja.

Two Portuguese Air Force F-16s were scrambled to accompany the plane while authorities initially evaluated how to handle the emergency, he said.

Air Astana is the flag carrier of Kazakhstan. The plane can seat around 100 people.

Portuguese media reports said the plane was in Portugal for maintenance work and took off around 1430 GMT from an airfield at Alverca, about 30 kilometres (18 miles) northwest of the capital Lisbon.

ORIGINAL: 7:41 a.m.

A senior Portuguese Air Force officer says two military jets are escorting an Air Astana aircraft with six crew on board and no passengers that is "experiencing difficulties" during a flight over Portugal.

Lt. Gen. Manuel Costa tells The Associated Press on Sunday the plane is "experiencing difficulties with its command and control system." He says two Portuguese Air Force F-16s are accompanying the plane while authorities evaluate how to handle the emergency.

Portuguese media have quoting local officials saying the plane is an Embraer which can seat around 100 people.

Reports said it was in Portugal for maintenance work and took off around 1430 GMT from an airfield at Alverca, about 30 kilometres (18 miles) northwest of the capital Lisbon.