Air India flight en route to San Francisco diverts to Russia due to engine issues
A flight traveling from Delhi to San Francisco was forced to make an unscheduled landing in a remote town in Russia after experiencing engine problems.
Passengers onboard the aircraft have expressed their concerns regarding the lack of communication from the airline.
Our correspondent, Evan Lambert, provides the latest updates on this developing story.
According to Air India, a replacement aircraft is being sent to Russia to transport the stranded passengers.
The new plane is expected to land in Russia at approximately 3:30 Eastern Time today and will subsequently depart for San Francisco, where the passengers were originally scheduled to arrive yesterday.
The Boeing 777 encountered an engine malfunction, necessitating the emergency landing in Russia’s Siberia.
The flight had a total of 216 passengers and 16 crew members on board.
Passengers have been provided with accommodations and other necessary arrangements while the airline works on arranging another aircraft.
We have received an account from a Fresno, California resident whose mother is among the passengers stuck in Russia.
He expressed his concern for her well-being, especially considering her age of 82 and her diabetic condition.
He has not heard from her in over a day, adding to his anxiety and frustration.
Air India issued a statement indicating that the ferry flight carrying essential supplies and sufficient food for all passengers on the onward journey to San Francisco is underway.
The aircraft operating this ferry flight will transport all passengers and crew members to San Francisco on June 8th.
Despite the statement, the son of one of the passengers expressed disappointment over the lack of updates provided by the airline, causing further distress among families awaiting news.
Regarding the number of Americans on board, the U.S.
State Department, in a recent briefing, estimated that there were fewer than 50 Americans among the passengers.
This estimate aligns with the destination being a major American city like San Francisco.
We will continue to closely monitor the situation and provide further updates as they become available.
