A Boeing 777 that took off from London and was headed to Beijing experienced an engine failure en route, forcing a landing in Siberia. The 13-year-old Air China jet, carrying more than 200 passengers, made its emergency landing in Nizhnevartovsk, an oil city more than 2,000 miles from Beijing. Since the invasion of Ukraine, most European and all North American airlines have stopped flying over Russian airspace as a result of sanctions. The jet, which took off from Heathrow at 10:43 p.m., had 267 passengers, including 20 children, said Russian officials. “Airport services were on high alert for the unexpected guest,” an eyewitness told Russian media outlet Baza. “But they prepared quickly—a suitable boarding ramp was immediately brought to the plane.” However, passengers were not allowed into the airport terminal or even to deplane the aircraft for six hours as they waited for clearance from the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, said Nizhnevartovsk Mayor Dmitry Koschenko. Passengers relied on the food and drinks available on the plane, Russian media outlet Shot reported. Koschenko said authorities would provide temporary accommodations in the terminal while passengers waited for a replacement Air China jet, which landed Tuesday afternoon.
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