NEW DELHI:
Air India
alternate aircraft reached the
Siberian city
of
Krasnoyarsk
and then left for San Francisco (SFO) with
passengers
and crew of the flight which had diverted there a day earlier. On Friday afternoon,
AI
had sent a
Boeing 777
(VT-AEQ) to to pick up about 240 passengers and crew members of Thursday’s nonstop
Delhi-San Francisco
(SFO) which had diverted following a cargo fire warning.
"AI1179 departed Krasnoyarsk at 12.02 am local time (July 20) for SFO, carrying all passengers and crew of AI183 that was diverted to KJA. AI has mobilised additional on-ground support at SFO to carry out the clearance formalities for all passengers upon arrival. The team at SFO are prepared to provide all necessary assistance to the passengers, including but not limited to medical care, ground transportation, and onward connections in applicable cases,” AI said late on Friday.
Interestingly, another AI B777 operating SFO-Delhi Wednesday morning had returned to the origin after flying for a few hours due to choked toilets on. The aircraft which diverted to Russia was carrying five aircraft engineers to rectify the aircraft previously grounded in SFO.
The
Indian embassy in Moscow
said in a statement: “An Embassy team of three senior officials and interpreter is on ground in Krasnoyarsk to assist the passengers of Air India flight to San Francisco which made an
emergency landing
at Krasnoyarsk (Thursday) night. The team is coordinating with airport and security authorities and representatives of the Russian foreign ministry to provide all possible assistance to the passengers. The team will stay on ground in Krasnoyarsk till Air India’s replacement plane arrives and takes the passengers on their onward journey.”
AI said on X (former Twitter): “AI183 of July 18, 2024, operating Delhi to SFO had made a precautionary landing at Krasnoyarsk International Airport (KJA) in Russia at around midnight local time. AI’s local support was activated to assist passengers, who were required by authorities to remain in the terminal building in the absence of Russian visas. Food and beverage amenities at the terminal, which were closed for the evening, have now opened and meals are being provided to all passengers.”
“Representatives from the Indian consulate in Moscow have travelled overnight and are working with Russian authorities to allow passengers to move to hotels, which have been on standby throughout the night. Regulatory clearances have been obtained for a relief flight (from) Mumbai (to) ferry the guests out of Krasnoyarsk International Airport later today. Air India regrets the inconvenience to passengers arising from this diversion, which was undertaken in the interest of safety,” AI added.
This is the second time in just over a year that an AI nonstop on this route has had to divert to Russia. The Delhi-SFO AI flight of June 6, 2023, was diverted to the Russian port city of Magadan following a glitch in one of the B777-200LR engines. The almost 230 people on board this aircraft were flown out of Magadan after a 39-hour wait.
English (US) ·