Air China Emergency Landing in Russia: 250 Passengers Locked Inside Plane for Hours

An Air China Boeing 777 flying from the United Kingdom to China made an emergency landing in the Russian city of Nizhnevartovsk, leaving 250 passengers and 15 crew members stuck inside the cabin for more than three hours.

Unexpected Diversion to Siberia

According to reports, the aircraft issued a PAN urgency signal and requested descent after experiencing engine problems. Russian air traffic controllers guided the jet safely to Nizhnevartovsk, where it landed one hour later. The incident took place early on the morning of August 26.

Passengers Waited in the Cabin

Once on the ground, passengers remained locked inside the plane for several hours. A replacement aircraft was dispatched to collect the stranded travelers, who were expected to wait until 14:00 local time before being flown to Moscow. From there, the flight to the final destination of Beijing was scheduled for 18:00.

Previous Incidents

This is not the first time Air China passengers have found themselves unexpectedly in Russia. Earlier, hundreds of travelers en route to China also faced an emergency landing in Nizhnevartovsk due to engine failure.

“The act of quick coordination by air traffic controllers ensured the safety of all passengers, despite the technical failure of the aircraft,” noted aviation sources.