Aeroflot flight makes emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport
A Moscow-bound Aeroflot flight turned into a mid-air ordeal after a landing gear malfunction forced the aircraft to circle over the Andaman Sea for hours before making an emergency landing at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport.
Aeroflot Flight SU277, a Boeing 777-300ER carrying 346 people, took off from Phuket Airport at 3.20pm yesterday, February 10. Shortly after departure, the nose gear retracted but the cover failed to close properly, triggering an alert.
To avoid a potential catastrophe, pilots were forced to keep the aircraft airborne, circling the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand for nearly five hours to burn off excess fuel before attempting a landing.
Initial plans were to return to Phuket but with only a single runway and limited emergency facilities, airport officials deemed Suvarnabhumi Airport the safer option. Emergency crews were placed on high alert, ensuring all safety protocols were in place.
At 9.11pm, the aircraft made a tense but successful landing on runway 01R, with no injuries reported. Kittipong Kittikachorn, General Manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport, confirmed that the plane was parked at bay 115 following its dramatic descent.
Aeroflot arranged accommodation for the 331 passengers and 15 crew members at a nearby hotel while they awaited a replacement flight. Meanwhile, Thai Airways International stepped in to assist with logistical arrangements for the stranded travellers.
Despite the harrowing experience, officials praised the flight crew’s professionalism and swift decision-making, which ensured a safe outcome. An investigation into the mechanical failure is now underway to prevent future incidents, reported Bangkok Post and KhaoSod.
In similar news, over 100 passengers on an Air India flight to New Delhi were left stranded in Phuket for more than 80 hours after repeated technical issues caused multiple delays and cancellations.
The ordeal began on the night of November 16 last year, when the flight was initially delayed by six hours due to a technical fault. Passengers, already exhausted from long waits at the airport, finally boarded, only to be forced off the plane an hour later when the flight was abruptly cancelled.
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