Air India Flight AI-183, which was en route from Delhi to San Francisco, has been diverted to Krasnoyarsk International Airport (UNKL) in Russia due to a technical issue onboard the aircraft. The diversion occurred, on Thursday, as a precautionary measure to address the issue promptly and ensure the safety of all passengers and crew members. The flight landed safely at Krasnoyarsk International Airport, where Air India officials and relevant authorities are currently coordinating efforts to assist the passengers and determine the next steps, the airline said in a social media post.
Air India flight landed safely: Airline
"Air India flight AI-183 operating Delhi to San Francisco has been diverted to Krasnoyarsk International airport (UNKL) in Russia due to a technical reason. The aircraft has landed safely and we are working with relevant authorities to ensure guests are taken care of while we decide the next course of action. At Air India, the safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew remains top priority," stated a spokesperson for the airline.
Air India to send alternate aircraft for onward journey
Later in an updated post, the airline cited the reason behind the emergency landing in Russia. It said the the cockpit crew identified a potential issue in the cargo hold. The aircraft landed safely with all 225 passengers and 19 crew members on board, who have since disembarked and been taken to the terminal for further procedures.
As Air India does not have staff at KJA, the airline is arranging third-party support to assist passengers. Besides, it is also coordinating with government agencies and regulatory authorities to organise a ferry flight to KJA to transport passengers to San Francisco as quickly as possible.
According to the airline, passengers and crew members aboard Flight AI-183 are being attended to by airline personnel and local authorities to ensure they are comfortable and provided with the necessary support. "Air India is actively working on resolving the technical issue and arranging for the continuation of the journey to San Francisco as soon as possible", the airline mentioned.
Second incident
Earlier in June last year, an Air India flight from Delhi to San Francisco diverted to Russia after the aircraft reported a technical glitch in one of its engines. The flight with 216 passengers and 16 crew members, which took off from Delhi on June 6, landed safely in Magadan airport.
Although the airline had to send another plane to bring back the stranded passengers, it took more than a day for the Tata-owned flight operator to complete the task.
