On 6 June, an Air India Boeing 777-300ER (registered VT-ALH) operated flight AI173 between Delhi, India, and San Francisco, California, United States. After an engine failure, the aircraft was forced to divert to the airport of Magadan in the Russian Federation.
The aircraft, carrying 216 passengers and 6 crew members including more than a hundred U.S. citizens, safely landed and was awaited by local authorities.
“Given the infrastructural limitations around the remote airport, we can confirm that all passengers were eventually moved to a makeshift accommodation, after making sincere attempts to accommodate passengers in hotels locally with the help of government authorities,” Air India wrote in a statement, adding that they are closely working together with the Consulate General of India in Vladivostok, the Ministry of External Affairs of India and the Russian authorities.
The airline added that a replacement aircraft has been dispatched from Mumbai towards Magadan and will carry the passengers and crew members onward to San Francisco.
“All of us at Air India are concerned about the passengers and staff and are making every effort possible to operate the ferry flight as soon as possible,” the airline ensures.
Yesterday, @AirIndia flight 173 from Delhi to San Francisco was diverted to Magadan, in rural Russia w/ over 220, mostly elderly, passengers.
Sat in plane for 6 hrs & after 18 hrs now, no word from Air India, @MEAIndia.
Here is a just taken video from a jittery passenger : pic.twitter.com/n6qymnvXrc
— Tarun Shukla (@shukla_tarun) June 7, 2023
UPDATE
AI173D TOUCHES DOWN IN SAN FRANCISCO
Flight AI173D operated by Boeing 777-300ER registered VT-ALO from Magadan (GDX) landed safely in San Francisco (SFO) at 00:07 on 08 June 2023 (local time). All passengers are being extended maximum on-ground assistance with clearance formalities and provided other necessary support. Air India thanks government agencies, regulatory authorities, its staff and partners involved in supporting its endeavour to bring its passengers to SFO as soon as possible and in providing them care while they waited in Magadan, Russia.
