An Urals Airlines plane in Russia made an emergency landing in a field due to an unexplained issue, but all the passengers were safe, according to Russia Today (RT). The forced landing took place in the Novosibirsk region on Tuesday (September 12), the outlet further said.
Passengers who were rescued said they still can’t believe how lucky they are to be alive.
Videos of the incident were first shared by several Telegram channels but later appeared on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter). An investigation has been launched by the local authorities.
“We landed softer than on asphalt,” a passenger named Yury was quoted as saying by RT.
The cause of the emergency was not immediately clear, the outlet claimed the plane experienced a hydraulic malfunction.
The Airbus A320 aircraft took off from Sochi and was on its way to Omsk, a city in Siberia when the pilot diverted the plane. The unexpected landing took place 200 kilometers from the destination.
Those on board commended how the crew handled the situation calmly.
“I am very grateful to the crew and the pilots for saving us. It was a miracle,” one of the passengers said. “It’s good that we didn’t splash into the water. The weather is chilly,” another one joked.
Novosibirsk lies in the Ubinsk district, which is dotted with multiple shallow lakes.
There were 161 people on the flight, including 23 children and six crew members, said the outlet.
The airline later arranged for a train to take passengers to Omsk. Ural Airlines said the passengers would each be given around $1,000 in compensation.
