KRASNOYARSK, Russia — A United Kingdom-bound commercial airliner carrying over 230 passengers was forced to make an emergency landing in Siberia on Saturday following a mid-air technical issue, officials and airline representatives confirmed.
Hainan Airlines Flight HU753 had departed from Beijing Capital International Airport on August 15, 2026, bound for Manchester Airport in the UK. Approximately four hours into the journey, while flying over Russia, sensors aboard the Airbus A330-300 (registration B-304L) detected a mechanical fault.
Upon detecting the issue, the flight crew issued an emergency signal and diverted the aircraft to Krasnoyarsk International Airport in central Siberia.
Russian emergency response teams were deployed to the runway as a precautionary measure ahead of the touchdown. The aircraft landed safely without further incident at 6:28 a.m. local time (07:28 Beijing time).
Russia’s Emergencies Ministry confirmed that all passengers and crew members evacuated safely, with no injuries or fatalities reported. Furthermore, neither the aircraft nor any airport facilities sustained damage during the landing.
Hainan Airlines issued a formal statement confirming the incident and expressing regret for the flight disruption.
“On 15 August 2026, our flight HU753 (Beijing–Manchester) diverted to Krasnoyarsk International Airport in Russia due to a mechanical fault,” the airline stated. “The company plans to replace the aircraft to operate the onward flight. We will properly arrange passenger service support to ensure safe arrival at the destination. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused to passengers.”
The airline has dispatched a replacement aircraft to Krasnoyarsk to pick up the stranded travelers and complete the journey to Manchester.
