New Delhi: Air India has arranged a recovery aircraft to bring back the 228 passengers of Flight AI 174, operating from San Francisco to New Delhi via Kolkata that was diverted to Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia on Monday evening.
Meanwhile, another Air India flight from Delhi to Bengaluru was diverted to Bhopal on Tuesday after a suspected technical issue was detected mid-air, the airline confirmed. The aircraft, operating as flight AI2487, landed safely at Bhopal, where it is undergoing precautionary checks that are expected to take an extended time for rectification, an Air India spokesperson said.
“Air India regrets the inconvenience caused to passengers by this unforeseen situation. Our ground team at Bhopal has been providing immediate assistance and support to the passengers. Every effort is being made to fly the passengers to their destination at the earliest,” the spokesperson added.
The safety and well-being of its passengers and crew remain its top priority, the airline reiterated.
The San Francisco – New Delhi flight landed at Ulaanbaatar around 7.59 pm on Monday after pilots detected a technical snag, officials said. On receipt of information from Air India, an hour prior to the landing, a team of officials from the Indian Embassy in Mongolia were deputed at the airport to facilitate immigration and hotel stay of the 228 passengers plus crew members. With the assistance of the consular team, all immigration and visa facilitation, transportation, hotel accommodation, was arranged in coordination with Mongolian authorities.
The passengers are being looked after, Air India said. The technical snag in the aircraft could not be rectified though and it has been grounded.
The airline has informed that the recovery Aircraft from India is likely to reach Ulaanbaatar by Tuesday evening. The passengers and crew will return to India on Tuesday itself. The Embassy of India is extending all possible assistance to the passengers and Air India, an official said.