Indian Embassy officials in Krasnoyarsk as ferry flight takes off from Mumbai

Moscow : Three senior officials and an interpreter from the Indian Embassy in Moscow are on ground in Krasnoyarsk to assist the passengers of Air India flight to San Francisco which made an emergency landing in the Siberian city on Thursday night.

"The team is coordinating with airport and security authorities and representatives of the Russian Foreign Ministry to provide all possible assistance to the passengers. The team will stay on ground in Krasnoyarsk till Air India's replacement plane arrives and takes the passengers on their onward journey," detailed a statement issued by the Indian Embassy.

Meanwhile, a ferry flight from Mumbai to Krasnoyarsk, is now airborne, and is expected to land in the Russian city on Friday evening.

"An Air India team, including crew and security personnel, are on board the flight to provide any support that the passengers and staff at Krasnoyarsk may require," Air India mentioned in a post on X.

It added that the ferry flight is carrying essentials in addition to sufficient food for all passengers and will ferry all passengers and crew out of the Russian airport at the earliest.

A dedicated hotline for the family, relatives, and friends of the flight passengers has also been established.

Air India flight AI-183 operating from Delhi to San Francisco was diverted to Krasnoyarsk International airport (UNKL) in Russia due to a technical reason.

It made a precautionary landing around Thursday midnight at Krasnoyarsk airport.

⁠Representatives from the Indian consulate in Moscow travelled overnight and worked with Russian authorities to allow passengers to move to hotels, which have been on standby throughout the night.

Regulatory clearances were obtained for a relief flight that departed Mumbai.