SAN FRANCISCO -- Passengers aboard a Singapore Airlines flight had a few anxious moments early Wednesday when their 747-400 enroute to Hong Kong was forced to return to SFO because it blew out two tires on the left main landing gear during takeoff.

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The plane -- with 237 passengers and a crew of 21 aboard -- lifted off at 12:05 a.m. The captain radioed the tower a short time later when it was determined the tires had exploded and a return to the airport was necessary. The jet dumped most of its fuel over the Pacific so it could be light enough to land.

Flight 001 landed safely without any injuries to passengers or crew. But there were some shaken nerves.

"It was very scary, but the pilot was very calm," an unidentified female passenger told KTVU "The pilot announced we had to go back to San Francisco because something happened with a tire...We just prayed for a good landing."

Amy Wicklund said she her a loud pop on take-off.

"I was on the side of the plane where the tire blew," she said. "There was a loud crash and then it sounded like we were scrapping the runway. I've never experienced anything like it."

Vallejo resident Mini Rattu was traveling to India. She said everyone was pretty calm, but she was annoyed that the flight had now been delayed by a day.

"Everyone was pretty calm about it," she said. "No one really said anything...I wish they had checked (the plane) out better. We only have a week's vacation and we've already lost a day."

Passengers were taken off the jet, put up at nearby hotels or returned to their Bay Area homes and booked on later flights. SFO officials said the plane was being inspected to determine if it suffered any damage, and if it did not, it should depart again at 6 p.m.