A Russian passenger plane flying from the Black Sea resort of Sochi to the Siberian city of Omsk with 167 people on board made an emergency landing in a Siberian field on Tuesday, officials said.
Authorities released footage of the Ural Airlines Airbus A320 in a field next to a forest in the Novosibirsk region, saying no one was injured in the incident.
The plane's evacuation slides could be seen deployed and people stood around the aircraft in a field.
Russia's aviation agency Rosaviatsia said the landing took place "on a site selected from the air" near the village of Kamenka, located in the Novosibirsk region.
"According to the crew, there are 159 passengers and six crew members onboard," the agency added.
"All passengers are being housed in the nearest village," Rosaviatsia said.
Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, has opened a criminal investigation into the violation of air traffic safety rules.
It said the aircraft made the emergency landing due to a technical problem.
Ural Airlines' general director dismissed the possibility that the plane's technical difficulties were linked to shortages of spare aircraft parts brought on by Western sanctions.
"For Airbus servicing, we've had the ability to perform all kinds of maintenance," the airline's general director Sergei Skuratov said at a press conference, according to the RBC news website.
Ural Airlines is a domestic Russian airline based in the city of Yekaterinburg.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
