FILE - Air India aircrafts stand at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, India, April 29, 2011 A Air India plane from New Delhi to San Francisco has landed in Russia after it developed an engine problem, officials said on Wednesday, June 7, 2023. The plane, which was carrying 216 passengers and 16 crew members, landed safely at the Magadan airport in Russia's far east region on Tuesday, Air India said in a statement. A replacement plane for an Air India flight diverted to Russia because of an engine problem has left San Francisco, carrying all passengers and crew.
The original Boeing 777, which left New Delhi with 216 passengers and 16 crew members, landed at Magadan airport in Siberia in Russia's far east on Tuesday. Air India said the plane had developed a technical issue with one of its engines.
The replacement plane is scheduled to arrive in San Francisco at 12: 15 a.m. Thursday, the airline said in a statement.
In Washington, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Vedant Patel said fewer than 50 American citizens were on the plane and the Department of State was not aware of any of them reaching out to the U.S. Embassy in Russia or other diplomatic posts.
Passenger Girvaan Singh Kahma, 16, said he was barred from leaving the hostel in Magadan and could not use his credit cards because of sanctions over Russia's war on Ukraine.
The first day and a half was really hard for all of us, he said. The weather slowed down in the morning to 3 to 4 degrees Celsius, and it was bitter cold in the night, he said, adding that it was getting better with food and a place to sleep.
The Russian soldiers, the Russian police, the authorities, everything working in the hostel has been treating us extremely well, he said.