A video surfaced on the internet on Wednesday where a few elderly passengers can be seen complaining about their deteriorating health condition. In the video, one can see an elderly woman saying that she is an asthmatic patient and is suffering from cold and breathing issues. She then requested the airline and the Indian government to get her evacuated from Russia as soon as possible.
Similarly, another elderly man can be seen complaining about his wife's health. Later his wife can be seen explaining about her health getting worse with time. At the moment, all the passengers await for their evacuation at the earliest.
In the latest update on the Air India Delhi-San Francisco flight diversion, the airline has come forward with a statement. "A ferry flight is scheduled to operate to Magadan Airport in Russia from Mumbai at 1300 hours IST on Wednesday, subject to necessary regulatory clearances, which would take passengers and crew of AI173 onward to San Francisco, said Air India in a statement.
Flight Diverted to Russia A Day Ago
On Tuesday, the San Francisco-bound flight was diverted to Russia after it developed a glitch in the engine. The flight carrying 216 passengers and 16 crew members landed safely in Magadan.
According to an official statement, the Boeing 777-200 (reg. VT-ALH) suffered engine problems, which resulted in it being diverted. Technicians from Rossiya Airlines then investigated the problem and whether it can be quickly resolved.
"The Air India flight AI173 of date June 6, operating from Delhi to San Fransisco has developed a technical issue with one of its engines. The flight landed safely in Magadan Airport in Russia. The passengers are being provided all support on the ground and will be provided alternate options to reach their destination at the earliest. The aircraft is undergoing the mandatory checks on ground. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to the passengers,” Air India confirmed in a statement on Tuesday.
Passengers Raised Concerns On The Accommodation Provided
The airline claimed that the passengers were provided accommodation in local hotels around. However the passengers had raised concerns regarding their accommodation. Pictures and videos of accommodation were shared on the internet by the passengers claiming that no hotels were arranged for them, instead they were made to stay in a basketball court of a local school building with no proper facilities.
