Flight 856 departed London Heathrow shortly before 11 p.m. local time and crossed into Russian airspace just over two hours later. Five hours into the journey the Boeing 777 changed course and, 30 minutes later, landed in Nizhnevartovsk. Pilots declared PAN-PAN and authorities cited a preliminary engine malfunction. Air China dispatched a replacement Boeing 777 from Beijing to carry 251 passengers and 15 crew members. Passengers endured a 13-hour wait at Nizhnevartovsk Airport where folding beds, food and drinks were provided for children and vulnerable travelers. The replacement aircraft arrived in the evening, departed four hours later, and reached Beijing at 4:41 a.m. local time. The original aircraft, registered B-2033, remained on the ground in Nizhnevartovsk.
Air China passengers spent half a day in Russia waiting for a replacement plane after their flight diverted due to engine trouble. Flight 856 took off from London Heathrow shortly before 11 p.m. local time on Monday, according to Flightradar24. Just over two hours later, it crossed the border into Russian airspace - something many airlines haven't done since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Five hours into the journey, flight-tracking data shows the Boeing 777 changed direction. 30 minutes later, it landed in the western Siberian city of Nizhnevartovsk. A spokesperson for Russia's civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsiya, said on Telegram that the pilots declared the urgency signal PAN-PAN. He added that the preliminary reason was an engine malfunction. Air China sent a replacement plane from Beijing to transport the 251 passengers and 15 crew members. Meanwhile, there was a 13-hour wait in Nizhnevartovsk Airport.
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