Air India ferry flight takes off from Russia for San Francisco

ANKARA

An Air India ferry flight carrying passengers and crew took off from Russia for San Francisco on Wednesday after one of the flag carrier’s planes flying from Delhi to the same destination landed in a Russian port city due to a "technical issue."

"Flight AI173D from Magadan, Russia (GDX) is now airborne for San Francisco (SFO), carrying all passengers and crew," the airline said in a statement on Thursday morning.

It said the flight departed from the airport at 10.27 a.m. local time (2327GMT Wednesday) and is expected to arrive in San Francisco at 12.15 a.m. (0715GMT) on Thursday.

The airline said it has mobilized additional on-ground support in San Francisco to carry out the "clearance formalities for all passengers upon arrival."

"The team at SFO is prepared to provide all necessary assistance to the passengers, including but not limited to medical care, ground transportation, and onward connections in applicable cases," the statement said.

On Wednesday morning, the airline said an Air India plane flying from Delhi to San Francisco with 216 passengers and 16 crew aboard on Tuesday developed a technical issue en route with one of its engines and the plane landed in Magadan.

It also said that all ground support being provided to the passengers is the best possible in the "unusual circumstance."

Later on Wednesday, the airline sent a ferry flight from India's Mumbai airport to Magadan Airport to carry the passengers and crew to San Francisco, it added.