San Francisco: Air India's rescue flight out of Magadan-Sokol, Russia has departed is now headed for San Francisco, according to Flight Radar 24.
The flight time from Russia to San Francisco International Airport is expected to last eight hours
Hundreds of people on an Air India flight were forced to land in Russia while en route to SFO on Tuesday.
Air India tweeted a video of a new plane leaving Mumbai overnight. The plane is delivering essentials and food to the stranded passengers in Magadan, Russia. The aircraft would then help those passengers to San Francisco.
Flight AI173 was carrying 216 passengers and 16 crew members when it was diverted, according to Air India. The plane was reportedly experiencing engine problems.
Passenger Girvaan Singh Kahma shared cellphone video, giving others a glimpse from the ground in Russia.
"None of us was used to the climate," he described. "And it was bitter cold for all of us."
Many passengers have taken to social media, sharing photos and videos of sleeping arrangements and accommodations there. The content shows varying degrees of discomfort.
"There are toddlers," Kahma shared. "There are elderly people who need medicine, toddlers who need diapers which are not provided to them right now."
From her home in Kolkatta, India, Chhaya Agarwal told ABC7 News her elderly parents are passengers.
"There are no beds, they are sleeping on the floor on a mattress. I know this much, that they've been given bottles of water," she said, after connecting with her parents. "And luckily my parents had the presence of mind to carry their medications in their handbags."
ABC7 talked with Sumita and her husband Raj Wednesday night, who say their parents were on the flight.
Sumita says given the current tensions between the U.S. and Russia, she was worried about what might happen to those on board.
"You know the no fly zone. I don't know the exact thing. That was the only thing that was worrying us. How do we reach them if there's an emergency? Will the plane be allowed to fly from there to the U.S.?" Sumita said.
Passengers, though, have said they've been treated well by both Air India and Russian authorities.
ABC7 News talked to a passenger before their departure from Russia. She showed us the school where she and her fellow travelers had spent the evening.
"They have cooked food for 200 people three times in a day. So we're good. We got coffee, we got warm milk, we got eggs. So everybody is safe," the passenger said.
08/06/2023 Amanda del Castillo and Tim Johns/abc7
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