The aircraft, operating a flight from Sochi to Kemerovo, made an emergency landing in Barnaul due to a technical malfunction. None of the passengers were injured, according to the transport prosecutor's office and the governor of the Kemerovo region, Ilya Seredyuk.
The Boeing 737-800 aircraft of "Nordwind" Airlines, en route from Sochi to Kemerovo, was forced to land at Barnaul International Airport on the morning of January 18. There were approximately 148–168 people on board, including passengers and crew. Everyone was accommodated in the airport hotel, provided with drinks and food. The aircraft has been temporarily suspended from operation for a technical inspection.
Passengers will be able to continue their journey to Kemerovo on another flight, tentatively at 21:55 local time (17:55 Moscow time). According to reports, a reserve aircraft will be sent from St. Petersburg. Due to this, the departure time of the return flight Kemerovo — Sochi, scheduled for 22:50 (18:50 Moscow time), has changed.
An investigation is underway into the incident, according to the Investigative Department for Transport of the Investigative Committee of Russia. It is aimed at establishing the causes of the technical malfunction and assessing compliance with safety requirements during the operation of the aircraft.
Emergency landings of aircraft due to technical reasons are rare but serious events that require thorough investigation and constant monitoring of the condition of the aircraft fleet. Given that the maintenance of foreign Boeings in Russia has changed after the introduction of sanctions, experts note the increasing role of Russian enterprises in maintaining airworthiness and repairing such aircraft. This allows them to continue operating in conditions of limited support from foreign manufacturers.
