This file photo dated May 3, 2005 shows journalists watching from the tarmac as a New York-bound Delta Airlines Boeing 767-300ER aircraft takes off from Berlin's Tegel airport. (AFP Photo)

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- A flight of U.S. Delta Airlines from China's capital of Beijing to the western U.S. city of Seattle was diverted Monday to a remote island in the U.S. northwestern state of Alaska after a possible "engine issue" was reported, the Alaska Public Media News reported.

The Delta Airlines flight 128 with 194 passengers aboard a Boeing 767-300ER was forced to land on the Shemya island on the western end of the Aleutian chain in Alaska, the local news outlet said.

"Delta flight from Beijing to Seattle diverted to Aleutian island of Shemya," it tweeted.

It quoted Delta Airlines as saying in a statement that the company has sent another aircraft to pick up the passengers in Shemya and send them back to Seattle in Washington State.

The aircraft was expected to arrive in Seattle at 9:15 p.m. Pacific Time, Delta said.

Delta has also dispatched maintenance technicians, customer service agents and a new crew to work on the flight back to Seattle.