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AI plane for passengers stuck in Russia takes off, will reach early Thursday; carrying 'food, essentials' | Updates
Air India plane stranded: AI173 was a widebody Boeing 777 that developed an engine problem and was forced to land in Magadan on Russia's eastern coast.
Air India has sent a replacement plane to ferry 216 passengers and 16 crew stranded in Russia's Magadan after its Delhi-San Francisco flight was forced to land, the carrier said Wednesday. Air India flight AI173 developed a 'technical issue' with one engine and had to land at the remote Russian town.
The replacement flight took off from Mumbai and is carrying food and other essentials. It is expected to reach Magadan airport at 6.30 am (local time).
"An Air India team are onboard the flight to provide any support that the passengers and staff at GDX (Magadan airport) may require. The ferry flight is carrying essentials in addition to sufficient amount of food to cater to all passengers on onward flight scheduled from GDX to San Francisco (SFO)."
'Doing best possible in unusual circumstance'
Earlier today Air India said limited infrastructure at and around the airport in Magadan - which is on Russia's eastern coast and over 10,000 km from capital Moscow - meant passengers had been moved to 'makeshift accommodation after making sincere attempts to accommodate passengers in hotels locally...'
READ | New Delhi-San Francisco AI flight diverted to Russia's Magadan
"As we do not have Air India staff based in the remote town of Magadan or in Russia, all ground support being provided to passengers is the best possible in this unusual circumstance..." Air India said. The carrier also said it is working with the Consulate General of India in Vladivostok (around 4,900 km from Magadan), the external affairs ministry, Russian authorities and local officials.
What did the Indian government say?
Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia is tracking the situation very closely, the ministry said this morning, noting that it is in constant touch with the airline. The ministry also said it had been told by AI some passengers had been housed in a school building near the airport.
READ | Where is Russia's Magadan, where AI plane with 232 people is stranded
What happened to Air India flight AI173?
The plane was a widebody Boeing 777 that developed a problem with one of its engines and was therefore forced to land in Magadan. The aircraft is currently undergoing safety checks.
The details of the 'technical issue' with the engine have not been revealed.
What did the US government say?
State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said American citizens were likely on the flight but that he could not confirm the number.
READ | 'Monitoring': US on San Francisco-bound AI flight landing in Russia
"It was a flight bound for the US so it is, of course, likely there are American citizens... We are continuing to monitor the situation," he said.
What do passengers say?
Girvaan Kaahma, 16, was traveling on the flight with his uncle and brother. According to a report by the Associated Press, they and other passengers have been barred from leaving the hostel in which they are staying.
Watch: AI flight diverted to Russia, US says 'closely monitoring situation'
They also cannot use their credit cards to buy items from vending machines or stores because of American sanctions over Russia's war on Ukraine.
Meanwhile, videos and photographs shared on Twitter show some passengers forced to sleep in mattresses on floors of what appear to be homes or dormitories; one woman said her husband is one of the passengers.
Another tweet was of a 45-second video shared by another passenger showing people gathered in a small school-like building with benches and tables set aside to make room for mattresses spread on the floor.
"Yesterday, Air India flight 173 from Delhi to San Francisco was diverted to Magadan, in rural Russia w(ith) over 220, mostly elderly, passengers. Sat in plane for 6 hours and, after 18 hours now, no word from Air India. Here is a just taken video from a jittery passenger…" the tweet at 10 am Wednesday said.
