Fears Russia will hold American citizens hostage after plane in Russia’s Far East
An Air India play flying from Delhi to San Francisco was forced to divert to an airport in Russia’s Far East after a technical glitch.
The flight, believed to be on board Americans, was supposed to land at Sokol airport in the port city of Magadan in the far east of the country at around 2 p.m. local time.
The 216 passengers and 16 crew on board received ground support and were to stay overnight in local schools.
It remains unclear how many of those on board are U.S. citizens.
The plane was forced to land at Sokol Airport, pictured here, in the far east of the country
The flight had to divert and land at Sokol airport in the port city of Magadan in the far east of the country
The flight had 216 passengers and 16 crew members on board at the time of the diversion
Vedant Patel, deputy spokesman for the US State Department, said on Tuesday that it is “probable” that Americans are on board given the planned destination.
“We are aware of a flight to the US that had to make an emergency landing in Russia and continue to closely monitor that situation,” Patel said.
The airline said it planned to send a plane on Wednesday to pick them up and fly them to their original destination.
“The authorities are extending all cooperation to ensure that passengers reach their destination as quickly as possible,” it said.
The Russian aviation authority said it checked the aircraft’s technical condition after landing at the country’s airport and authorized the alternate flight to land there.
“Currently, the issue of passenger residence and accommodation is being resolved by border, customs and regional authorities,” Rosaviatsia said earlier in the day.
The airport of Magadan, a port city on the Sea of Okhotsk in Russia’s Far East, did not respond to a request for comment.
A woman who had two family members on board the flight told DailyMail.com that those on board have been given a local school to sleep in while awaiting transportation.
Richa Verna, whose parents had traveled to California to see her, said: “Russian officials have been very hospitable
“Since it’s a small town, they’ve accommodated everyone, provided warm blankets, mattresses, pillows, and food, tea, and coffee.”
Her parents sent Verna a picture of the kitchen in the school where they are now, with food and drink ready for them.
Images shared by her parents show mattresses lying on the school floor, with blankets over people lying next to their suitcases.
A woman who had two family members on board the flight told DailyMail.com that those on board have been given a local school to sleep in while awaiting transportation
The airline said it planned to send a plane on Wednesday to pick them up and fly them to their original destination.
It comes amid a global debate over some airlines’ use of Russian airspace, with the United Airlines chief warning Monday of the dangers of a plane being forced to land in Russia with US citizens on board.
The diversion also raises questions about how quickly the $200 million Boeing 777, a high-profile US-built airliner whose engines are made by General Electric, can be repaired amid US and European Union sanctions on its exports. of aviation goods to Russia.
On Monday, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson defended the airline’s use of Russian airspace, pointing out the critical role the industry plays in connecting economies, people and cultures.
“Air India, we are operating according to the scope of what is provided to us by the nation of India and not all nations agree,” he said to a panel at the annual meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Russia has banned US airlines and other foreign airlines from using its airspace in retaliation for Washington banning Russian flights over the United States in March 2022 after Moscow sent troops to Ukraine.
In 2018, a Norwegian Air Boeing 737 made an emergency landing in Iran with engine problems, weeks after Washington reimposed sanctions and was stranded for more than two months.
The 186 passengers and six crew members were able to fly out of Shiraz the following day. But despite the airline’s initial assurances that the plane would also be repatriated soon, a GE engine company waited weeks for an export license from the US Treasury Department.