'Lying on mattresses, surviving on bread,’ says stranded Air India flyer in Russia
1 min read 07 Jun 2023, 02:22 PM ISTAir India Boeing 777 with 216 passengers and 16 crew members, traveling from Delhi to San Francisco, made an emergency landing in Russia on Tuesday. The passengers are now facing multiple difficulties including language barriers, substandard accommodation, unfamiliar food
PremiumAfter an engine issue, an Air India Boeing 777 traveling from Delhi to San Francisco was forced to make an emergency landing in Magadan, Russia on Tuesday. Currently, the 216 passengers and 16 crew members, including children and the elderly, are battling language barriers, unfamiliar food, and substandard accommodation.
Gagan, a passenger on the plane, while speaking to NDTV on the phone painted a challenging picture of the situation.
With over 230 people on board, including children and older individuals, the passengers faced numerous difficulties. Their bags remained in the aircraft, and they were dispersed to different locations on buses.
“Some people were sent to a school and are lying on mattresses on the floor. The toilet facilities are not right. Language is a barrier. "
The available food options were limited, with an abundance of seafood and non-vegetarian items, leaving some individuals resorting to bread and soup. Moreover, older passengers were running out of essential medicines.
Despite these hardships, Gagan acknowledged that the Russian authorities had been kind. They were fortunate to be housed in a college dormitory and had recently gained access to Wi-Fi, enabling them to stay in touch with their families.
"But the other place, where some more passengers are present, is a school. They have just moved the benches and people are lying on mattresses in the classroom. There are about 20 people in one room. I heard they couldn't arrange proper food. They were given Coke and bread," he said.
Air India sends replacement aircraft
Meanwhile, Air India said it was sending a replacement aircraft with food and essentials for the stranded passengers.
A ferry flight will operate from Mumbai to Magadan, departing at 1 p.m. India time, the airline said in a statement Wednesday. It will then carry the 216 passengers and 16 crew to San Francisco.
An Air India Boeing Co. 777-200LR jet was forced to divert to the Russian port town to the north of Japan due to a technical glitch with one of its General Electric Co. engines. Passengers on AI173, which left Delhi on June 6, were shifted to makeshift accommodation, the airline said.