CA856 - Engine Failure Forces Emergency Landing in Siberia

Air China Flight CA856, operating a Boeing 777-300ER (registration B-2033) from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), experienced a significant engine failure on August 25, 2025. The aircraft departed London Heathrow at 22:43 on August 24, 2025, bound for Beijing with 267 persons aboard including passengers and crew members. During the flight over remote Siberian territory, one of the aircraft's engines malfunctioned, creating a critical situation requiring immediate action. The flight crew, recognizing the severity of the engine failure and the aircraft's position over sparsely populated terrain, sent a PAN signal and requested descent while declaring an emergency. After assessing available airports and weather conditions, the crew made the decision to divert to Nizhnevartovsk Airport (NJC) in Siberia, Russia, the nearest suitable airport capable of handling a Boeing 777 operations. The Boeing 777-300ER, despite operating on one engine, successfully performed a single-engine approach and landed normally at Nizhnevartovsk Airport at 08:17 local time on August 25, 2025. The aircraft taxied to the apron under its own power, demonstrating the effectiveness of the crew's emergency procedures and the aircraft's design redundancy. All passengers and crew were safely accommodated at the airport's international terminal while Air China arranged for a replacement aircraft (B-2088) to be sent from Beijing. The replacement aircraft arrived at approximately 17:15 local time, allowing passengers to continue their journey to Beijing after a 13-hour delay. This incident marked a significant aviation milestone as it was the first UK-originating commercial flight to land in Russia since aviation sanctions were implemented in 2022, highlighting how safety considerations override political restrictions in emergency situations.