India-US flight makes emergency landing in Siberia

No serious damage was discovered after the aircraft landed in the Russian city of Krasnoyarsk

An Air India Boeing 777 made an emergency landing in the city of Krasnoyarsk, Central Russia on Thursday. Flight AI183 en route from New Delhi to San Francisco had to change course because of a potential fire on board.

Around 18:30 (Moscow time), the crew reported to flight control that a fire alarm had been triggered in the cargo hold and requested an emergency landing. At the time, the plane was flying over Siberia at an altitude of some 11,000 meters. It was diverted and landed safely in Krasnoyarsk.

The Russian Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) subsequently reported that no fire or smoke was discovered on board. Russian specialists also found no serious damage after a preliminary inspection of the plane. A detailed report could be ready by Friday morning, a source with the Russian Emergencies Ministry told RIA Novosti.

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All the passengers were successfully evacuated from the aircraft and accommodated at Krasnoyarsk airport, according to Russian authorities. No passengers required medical aid, emergency services said. Authorities also said the crew was provided with all necessary assistance. A total of 244 people were aboard, including 225 passengers and 19 crew members, according to the airline.

“Air India is also in liaison with government agencies and regulatory authorities, and we are making arrangements for a ferry flight to [Krasnoyarsk] to take passengers onwards to San Francisco at the earliest,” the company said on X (formerly Twitter). The Russian Foreign Ministry also confirmed it was “in contact” with Air India and all the relevant authorities and was “aware” of the situation.

It is not the first time an Indian flight en route to San Francisco has made an emergency landing in Russia. In June 2023, another Boeing 777 landed in the Far Eastern city of Magadan because of one of its engines was malfunctioning. The passengers then continued their journey on another Air India flight after spending almost 40 hours on the ground.