Mumbai: Air India has flown a relief flight from Mumbai to carry passengers of its Delhi-San Francisco flight who were stranded at Russia's Krasnoyarsk International Airport (KJA) since Thursday. An Air India official told PTI that the relief flight took off from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport here at 12.52 pm and is expected to reach the Russian city of Krasnoyarsk around 7 pm.

The airline said on social media platform 'X' that it has received regulatory approval for the relief flight. Earlier, Air India had said that regulatory approval has been received for the relief flight, which will depart from Mumbai to carry passengers stranded there, via Krasnoyarsk International Airport. An Air India flight from Delhi to San Francisco was diverted to Russia's Krasnoyarsk International Airport on Thursday after the cockpit crew noticed a problem in the cargo hold area of ​​the Boeing 777 aircraft.

Air India's local staff were asked to assist passengers who were asked by authorities to remain in the terminal building due to lack of Russian visas. Flight number AI 183 had 225 passengers and 19 crew members on board. The airline said that food and beverage facilities at the terminal are now open and food is being served to all passengers. The catering facilities were closed in the evening. According to Air India, representatives of the Indian Consulate in Moscow are also helping and working with Russian authorities to allow passengers to go to hotels.