Replacement 777 for Air India Flight Diverted to Russia Safely Lands in San Francisco

A replacement aircraft for an Air India flight, which had to make an unexpected landing in Magadan, Russia due to an engine issue, has successfully arrived in San Francisco with all passengers and crew members onboard, according to the airline.

The incident occurred when the original Boeing 777, carrying 216 passengers and 16 crew members, experienced low oil pressure in one of its engines. As a precautionary measure, the pilots decided to land the aircraft at a nearby airport in Siberia’s far east, rather than continue the journey to its intended destination of San Francisco.

The replacement plane touched down at San Francisco International Airport at 12:07 a.m. local time on Thursday, as reported by Flight Aware, a popular flight tracking website.

Air India has taken full responsibility for the situation and announced that it will provide passengers with full refunds for their fares, as well as vouchers for future travel on their airline.

The U.S. State Department spokesperson, Vedant Patel, stated that fewer than 50 American citizens were onboard the flight, and no reports have been received of them seeking assistance from the U.S. Embassy in Russia or other diplomatic channels.

One of the passengers, Girvaan Singh Kahma, aged 16, shared his experience, mentioning the initial challenges they faced, including being unable to leave the hostel in Magadan and facing restrictions on credit card usage due to sanctions related to Russia’s conflict with Ukraine. However, he also expressed gratitude for the hospitality shown by Russian soldiers, police, and hostel authorities, stating that conditions were gradually improving with the provision of food and a comfortable place to sleep.

The safe arrival of the replacement plane and the positive treatment received by the passengers have alleviated the difficulties faced during this unexpected diversion.