A "malfunctioning coffee pot" forced a Southwest Airlines flight to divert to an airport in Virginia early on Wednesday, the airline has confirmed.

Southwest Airlines flight 811, which departed from the Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) for Punta Cana International Airport in the Dominican Republic, landed safely at the Norfolk International Airport following what was believed to be a small fire in the plane's galley, according to the Associated Press.

"Yesterday, the Pilots of Southwest Airlines Flight 811 operating from Baltimore/Washington International Airport to Punta Cana International Airport diverted to Norfolk International Airport to allow crews on the ground to address a malfunctioning coffee pot," the airline said in a statement shared with Fox News.

"The aircraft landed safely at Norfolk. An initial review confirmed a coffee pot in the front galley will need to be replaced and the aircraft was out of service pending further review by our maintenance teams."

The airline also apologized to the 90 passengers aboard the flight, as well as the crew, for the inconvenience. Travelers were re-accommodated on another flight leaving two-and-a-half hours later.

"We've apologized to them for the delay in their arrival but place nothing higher than safety."