Air India’s Ferry Flight fly stranded passengers from Russia to US-landing in an alien land
In order to better assist customers with their arrival amenities, Air India has boosted its on-ground service at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). An Air Indian flight from Delhi to San Francisco was diverted to Magadan on last Tuesday, 6th May, 2023, as per NDTV news.
It was a replacement aircraft that boarded and carried all passengers and crew on board and took off from Russia’s Magadan for San Francisco after an Air India flight was compelled by a technical problem to make an emergency landing in the isolated Russian town. As needed, the staff at SFO is ready to help with medical treatment, ground transportation, and onward connections. The Air India flight was diverted to Magadan after a technical issue with one of its engines occurred. The Boeing 777 aircraft, carrying around 216 passengers and 16 crew members made an emergency landing at Magadan Airport and the passengers with the crew were then put up in improvised housing in the outlying Russian town.
Passengers, small to old, with their children, were battling amongst themselves and with the people at the airport for language barriers, substandard accommodation and unfamiliar food at the new place they landed. Gagan, one of the stranded passengers told NDTV that the situation in Magadan was ‘challenging’ with a lack of clarity and inadequate facilities. As per his official statement recorded on media, he said that there were around 230 passengers with lots of children and older people. Their bags are still at the aircraft and they were sent on buses to different locations. Some of them are lying on the mattresses on the floor since they were assigned to a school. The toilet faculties’ are worse, especially for children and women. Language is also a barrier and the food is very different and disgusting to taste.
There is a lot of seafood and non-veg. some people had to forcefully feed on bread and soup the whole day and some older people were also running out of medicine. Despite the challenges encountered by the trapped passengers, Gagan complimented the Russian authorities‘ efforts. He said that they have been nice and they have been lucky to be in a college dorm. Wi-Fi was given about an hour ago, so the passengers could be easily in touch with their families and close ones. Less than 50 Americans were on board the aeroplane, according to the US Department of State.
Later today, a relief aircraft is expected to arrive and assist the Air India flight with its passengers to continue on their route, as Vedant Patel, a deputy spokesperson of the State Department, said yesterday. The replacement aircraft is expected to land at SFO at 00:15 hours, as per the local time on 8th June, Air India said. The passengers are now staying at makeshift accommodation in a nearby school after its landing at the Sokol Airport. Jyotiraditya Scindia, the minister of civil aviation, verified the situation and guaranteed the safe transportation of the 16 crew members and stranded passengers from Magadan to San Francisco. The ferry aircraft from GDX to SFO is equipped with the necessities as well as enough food to feed everyone on board. There are no employees of Air India-owned by the Tata Group working in Magadan or Russia. According to The Hindustan Times, Rossiya Airlines, the largest and oldest airline in the Russian Federation, had to be called upon for help.
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