Aircraft turbine malfunction of Rossiya Airlines leaves over 300 Russian tourists stranded in Cuba

Russian tourists were stranded for more than 28 hours in Cuba due to a malfunction in a Boeing 777-31H aircraft belonging to Rossiya Airlines. There was a lack of information and supplies, which heightened the tension among the passengers.

Boeing 777-31H from Rossiya AirlinesPhoto © onespotter.com / TheAircraftChannel

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A group of 328 Russian tourists was stranded for more than 28 hours in Cuba due to a technical failure in the turbine of a Boeing 777-31H aircraft operated by Rossiya Airlines.

The flight, which was scheduled to depart from Havana to Moscow on Monday, experienced a series of delays that caused frustration among the passengers.

Telegram screenshot / NSN radio point

According to the agency RIA Novosti, the takeoff was initially postponed due to technical reasons. Passengers boarded the aircraft, but after a four-hour wait, they were evacuated without clear explanations.

Subsequently, the company reported that the airplane's turbine was experiencing issues, and maintenance work was carried out in the affected area for approximately an hour.

After the issue was resolved, it was determined that the crew had exceeded their working hours, which necessitated a further delay. Additionally, the arrival of night made it impossible to load food on board, as the airline explained.

During the wait, the passengers were taken to a hotel, although some expressed their dissatisfaction on social media, reporting the lack of information from the airline and the limited provision of water and food at José Martí International Airport.

The airline is expected to finally take off on January 21, after 9:00 p.m. Moscow time.

This incident adds to a series of problems that have impacted Russian airlines over the past year, worsened by a shortage of aircraft and spare parts due to Western sanctions.

Currently, most international flights from Russia are focused on destinations that have not imposed restrictions on Moscow, such as Cuba, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.

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CiberCuba Editorial Team

A team of journalists committed to reporting on Cuban current affairs and topics of global interest. At CiberCuba, we work to deliver truthful news and critical analysis.