Air India dispatches emergency flight to Russia for American passengers stranded

NEW DELHI—Air India mentioned on Friday that a plane carrying food and other essentials was en route to rescue passengers stuck in Russia following the emergency landing of the previous day’s flight bound for San Francisco.

An Air India flight from Delhi to San Francisco had to make an emergency landing in Russia after the crew identified a potential issue in the cargo hold, marking the second such incident on this route in just over a year.

In an official statement, Air India informed that a team, including crew and security personnel, was on board the ferry flight and that a dedicated hotline had been set up for those seeking to contact the passengers.

While many airlines, including those from the U.S. and European Union, avoid Russian airspace due to the conflict in Ukraine, Air India uses this route, providing it with a time and cost advantage on flights headed to the U.S.

The Indian embassy in Russia revealed through a social media platform that a team of senior officials and an interpreter had arrived at Krasnoyarsk airport to offer assistance to the stranded passengers.

The Boeing 777 aircraft, carrying 225 passengers and 19 crew members, landed safely in Siberia at Krasnoyarsk International Airport as a precautionary measure, as stated by the airline.

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Passengers’ crew were accommodated in hotels, while passengers were located in the international departure area, which sparked frustration among some passengers, as per social media posts.

Mayank Gupta, whose mother was among the passengers, expressed on X his disappointment that her belongings and medicines were still on the plane.

One passenger mentioned on X the challenges faced in obtaining food and water, sharing a photo of passengers resting on the airport floor.

The airport stated that the landing was due to an activated smoke detector.

Following the incident, Russia’s civil aviation agency, Rosaviatsiya, confirmed that the aircraft had taxied to a parking spot after landing, with no indications of fire or smoke onboard.

Boeing and a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department redirected inquiries about the incident to Air India for comments.

Russia has restricted airspace access for numerous foreign airlines in response to Western sanctions related to the conflict in Ukraine, leading to route changes and disruptions for airlines needing to circumvent the country. United Airlines cancelled several non-stop U.S.–India flights due to this issue.

In June 2023, an Air India Boeing aircraft on the same route faced technical issues, resulting in a day-long delay. Air India dispatched another plane the next day to rescue the stranded passengers.