A Boeing 777 from London was forced to make an emergency landing in Siberia today after suffering “engine failure” mid-air, Report informs via The Sun.
The Air China jet, carrying 311 passengers and crew to Beijing, diverted to Nizhnevartovsk in Russia’s Khanty-Mansi region, touching down at 8.17 am local time.
Footage showed the giant aircraft rolling onto the tarmac in the oil city — a place rarely visited by flights out of Britain.
The plane had taken off from Heathrow at 10.43 pm last night before running into trouble over Russian airspace.
Airport staff scrambled to handle the sudden arrival.
One eyewitness told Russian outlet Baza: “Airport services were on high alert for the unexpected guest.
“It’s not every year that such a flight from the UK arrives in Nizhnevartovsk.
“But they prepared quickly — a suitable boarding ramp was immediately brought to the plane.
“What happens next is still unknown.
Passengers now face uncertainty over where they will stay.
The city lies 1,435 miles east of Moscow, with limited facilities for such a large influx of travellers.
According to Baza, “it is also unknown where such a large number of passengers will stay during the time the reserve aircraft is en route.”
“It will be difficult to fit all the people in the local airport’s holding area,” the report added.