Flight diverts to Siberia

A passenger flight travelling from Beijing to Manchester made an unplanned landing at Krasnoyarsk International Airport in Siberia after the airline reported a mechanical fault.

Flight HU753 was carrying more than 230 passengers when it diverted early on Saturday. The airline said the aircraft landed safely at 07:28 Beijing time on 15 August.

No injuries reported

The Russian Emergencies Ministry identified the aircraft as an Airbus A330-300 and said there had been no deaths or injuries. It also reported no damage to the aircraft or airport infrastructure.

The airline said it planned to provide a replacement aircraft for the onward journey and arrange support for passengers. Neither the airline nor Russian authorities identified the nationalities of those on board in the reporting reviewed by Deluxe Media.

Unexpected landing amid UK travel warning

The diversion placed passengers unexpectedly in a country to which the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advises against all travel.

The government warning cites security incidents, Russian air-defence activity, limited routes for returning to the UK and restricted consular support. It also warns of a risk of British nationals being detained. The warning concerns planned travel; the passengers on HU753 arrived because of an operational diversion.

Onward arrangements

The source reviewed reported the airline's intention to continue the journey with another aircraft. It did not establish a confirmed departure time or final arrival time in Manchester, so those details remain unverified in this article.