After their plane was forced to land in Russia’s east, hundreds of passengers bound for the U.S. were left stranded.
Air India sent a plane to pick up passengers who were diverted by geopolitical tensions involving Russian airspace, fueled in part by the conflict in Ukraine.
Social media was rife with criticism over the decision to land in this country despite these complications.
Air India released a statement saying that Flight AI173 had 216 passengers on board and 16 crew when it experienced a technical problem with one of the engines.
Air India said that the flight was diverted from the original destination to Magadan in Siberia, where it safely landed. Air India stated that local authorities at the airport provided “all support and cooperation upon the arrival of the flight.”
The airline stated that it “sincerely attempted to accommodate passengers locally in hotels with the assistance of local government officials.” It said that passengers “eventually were moved to a temporary accommodation.”
Air India stated that “as we don’t have any Air India employees based in Magadan, or in Russia,” all the ground support provided to passengers in this unique situation is as good as possible.
The airline announced on Wednesday that a replacement ferry, AI195, would be arriving in Magadan at 6:30 am local time Thursday (3:30 pm ET Wednesday). ET Wednesday).
The airline shared video of a replacement flight taking off and said a team would be onboard to “provide support for passengers and staff from GDX”.
The ferry flight will carry essentials and enough food for all passengers scheduled to fly from GDX in San Francisco, it stated. It added that all passengers would be transported to San Francisco by Thursday.
In a State Department press briefingon Wednesday, Vedant Patel, the principal deputy spokesperson of the department said that they were “aware” of an American-bound flight which had to make a Russian emergency landing.
He was unable to confirm the number of Americans on the flight but stated that it was “likely”, as the flight was headed for the U.S.
According to a stranded passenger, many U.S. passengers were concerned due to the tensions between Russia and the United States.
According to Reuters who identified the passenger only as Gagan, “there are a lot of nervous people here.”
Since Russia banned some foreign airlines from using its airspace as retaliation to Western sanctions regarding the war in Ukraine, there have been disruptions in air routes.
Air India, among other airlines, has continued to fly over Russia even though U.S. carriers, European and Japanese carriers, and Japanese airlines, have all stopped doing so.
Air India, facing mounting criticism in social media, apologized via a tweet for “all the inconveniences caused” due to the emergency landing.
A video shared on social media purports to show passengers sleeping in what looks like a classroom on thin mattresses and blankets.
In response to a Tweet sharing the video the airline responded “We understand the problem” and added that a replacement plane would be arriving soon. NBC News does not verify the video.
One person wrote: “My relatives were on that flight, and they still struggle to look after themselves.” NBC News could not verify the account immediately.
Air India responded to the tweet by saying, “We are sorry for your frustration and concern.”
The airline stated that it takes these situations seriously and would do its best to make sure that passengers were taken care of, and that they could continue their journeys in safety.
Air India didn’t immediately respond to NBC News’ request for additional information.
Girvaan Kahma was travelling on the flight along with his brother and uncle. He told the Associated Press that they had been barred from leaving their hostel in Magadan, and they couldn’t buy anything with their credit cards because of the sanctions related to Russia’s conflict against Ukraine.
He said that the first half-day was tough for everyone. The weather was 3 to 4 degrees Celsius (or 37 to 39 Fahrenheit), in the morning. At night, it was bitterly cold, he told the news agency. He added that things would get better once food and a sleeping place were provided.
He reportedly stated that “the Russian soldiers, Russian police, authorities, and everyone working at the hostel have treated us extremely well.”
Reuters and Associated Press both contributed.
