Authorities say a United Airlines flight has landed safely at Newark after taking off from the airport for Berlin then returning when something apparently went wrong with the engine.

Airline spokesman Joe Micucci said the Boeing 757 "experienced a mechanical issue with the engine" after takeoff from Newark Liberty International Airport at 5:50 p.m. Saturday. He said Flight 96 landed safely about 8:10 p.m.

The plane was carrying 173 passengers and crew members. A Port Authority spokesman said no one was injured.

Kathleen Bergen of the Federal Aviation Administration said the plane crew initially reported "an issue" with the plane's left engine but the aircraft then began operating normally. She said that as a precaution, fuel was burned off west of Newark before the plane landed.