331 Swiss International passengers get stranded 20 hours in Kazakhstan after plan goes off runway

Hundreds of air passengers had to wait nearly a day to carry on with their travels after their plane got stuck in the mud attempting to take off after a “stopover” in Kazakhstan on Saturday.

Swiss International Air Lines Flight 161’s intended travel route was from Tokyo to Zurich. Instead, it stopped at Astana International Airport due to a medical incident, the airline confirmed to FOX Business.  

“The passenger concerned was handed over to medical personnel on site,” Swiss International Air Lines said in a statement.

When the Boeing 777 prepared to take off again, Astana’s taxiway was closed, which meant the pilots had to try to turn the plane around 180 degrees while still on the runway. 

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“The aircraft’s nose wheel got caught in the grass,” according to one user on X. Post pictures show the plane stuck in mud. It was towed back onto the runway before being checked for any damage.

As for the passengers, Austrian Airlines stepped in to help its “sister airline,” the company confirmed to FOX Business. 

“Austrian Airlines sent a Boeing 777-200 aircraft to the Kazakh capital Astana to transport the passengers of SWISS to Vienna,” a statement reads. The 331 passengers took off 20 hours after their first plane landed in Kazakhstan. 

After that, Swiss International Air Lines dispatched another 777 to take them from Vienna to Zurich. 

Both Austrian and Swiss International Air Lines are part of Lufthansa group. 

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“We thank all our passengers for their understanding and patience in this exceptional and unforeseen situation,” Swiss told Business Insider. “We apologize once again for any inconvenience caused. A big thank you also goes to all the employees involved for their tireless and outstanding efforts.”

No passengers were injured, and the plane that got stuck was cleared to return to flying after being checked out by airline technical specialists in consultation with Boeing, local and Swiss authorities.

A new Swiss International Air Lines crew will transfer the aircraft to Zurich as soon as possible, the airline said.  

Back in April, a Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to Los Angeles had a “rough landing” at Los Angeles International Airport. 

The Boeing 747-8 was caught on camera by LA-based Airline Videos Live, bouncing off the runway and attempting to land again before taking off, circling around the airport and then finally landing safely after its second attempt. 

Days prior, a Swiss International Air Lines flight traveling from New York City to Zurich had to abort takeoff, averting a “potentially dangerous situation,” the airline confirmed.

Flight LX17 from John F. Kennedy Airport left the gate at 4:21 p.m. April 17, according to FlightAware. The aircraft was cleared for takeoff at the same time an air traffic controller on another frequency cleared four other jets to cross the runway, according to audio obtained by NPR. 

“Due to the high level of situational awareness and quick reaction of our crew, a potentially dangerous situation was quickly de-escalated,” Swiss International Air Lines said in a statement to FOX Business.