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SAN FRANCISCO — Air India's rescue flight from Magadan-Sokol, Russia has departed now for San Francisco, according Flight Radar 24.

The flight time from Russia to San Francisco International Airport is expected to be eight hours.

The video player above is from the previous report

Hundreds of people on an Air India flight were forced to land in Russia while en route to SFO on Tuesday.

Air India tweeted a video of the new plane leaving Mumbai last night. The plane delivered basic necessities and food to stranded passengers in Magadan, Russia. The plane will then assist the passenger to San Francisco.

Flight AI173 was carrying 216 passengers and 16 crew when it was diverted, according to Air India. The plane was reported to have engine problems.

Passenger Girvaan Singh Kahma shared a cellphone video, giving others a glimpse from the ground in Russia.

“None of us are used to the climate,” he explained. “And it's very cold for all of us.”

RELATED: An Air India flight bound for San Francisco was diverted to Russia due to technical problems

Many passengers have taken to social media, sharing photos and videos of sleeping arrangements and accommodation there. Content shows varying degrees of discomfort.

“There's a toddler,” Kahma shared. There are elderly people who need medicine, toddlers who need diapers that are not being made available to them at this time.”

From his home in Kolkatta, India, Chhaya Agarwal told ABC7 News that his elderly parents were the passengers.

“There were no beds, they slept on the floor on mattresses. As far as I know, they were given bottles of water,” he said, after getting in touch with his parents. “And luckily my parents had the mind to carry their meds in their handbags.”

VIDEO: SFO-bound Air India passengers describe the scene in Russia as they wait for their ‘ferry flight'

ABC7 spoke to Sumita and husband Raj late Wednesday, who said their parents were on the flight.

Sumita said given the current tensions between the US and Russia, he was worried about what might happen to those on board.

“You know the no-fly zone. I don't know exactly. That's the only thing that worries us. How do we reach them in case of an emergency? Will planes be allowed to fly from there to the US?” Sumita said.

Passengers, however, say they have been treated well by Air India and Russian authorities.

ABC7 News spoke with a passenger before their departure from Russia. He showed us the school where he and his friends spent the evening.

“They have cooked food for 200 people three times a day. So we are fine. We have coffee, we have warm milk, we have eggs. So everyone is safe,” said the passenger.

Back here in California, Sumita believes the experience has created a bond among most of the passengers. He said many of them were helping each other and making sure everyone had what they needed.

“My mother always said if you are sad or sad, listen to music. So she sang an Indian song and all the passengers listened to it,” said Sumita.

And when the moment to reunite finally arrives, Sumita says she believes this time will be sweet.

“Usually I don't get a welcome balloon, but I thought this time I will,” she said.

Here in the United States, additional concerns are being raised amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. A Deputy State Department spokesperson confirmed the possibility of Americans participating.

“The State Department warned it was not safe for Americans to go to Russia. So I would have been worried if I had been on that plane,” said Clint Henderson, who works for international travel website The Points Guy.

Another concern is the remoteness of where the passengers were stranded, Magadan is located in the far east of the country.

AGAIN: What can I do if my flight is cancelled, delayed?

“Ideally you're in a hotel. The hotel room will be enough for passengers to get off the flight. In this case, it looks like the basketball court is being converted into makeshift sleeping quarters for the passengers,” Henderson said.

Russia has banned many Western countries from operating in its airspace – although some airlines such as Air India continue to fly over Russia.

A fact that will probably ensure that everyone on board, including any Americans, will be allowed to go home safely, said Steve Fish, a professor of political science at UC Berkeley.

“At the same time, we are dealing here with Putin, who has not been known lately for pursuing any sane policies,” Fish said.

Fish said Russia probably did not want to upset its relatively good relationship with India over this incident – especially given the international attention it has received.

“I believe American officials, as well as Indian officials, are very concerned about this,” Fish said.

However, India has maintained a neutral stance throughout the war. So it doesn't cause too much concern overseas.

“Indians, adults, seniors, children, babies and toddlers who may be without formula without milk without nutrition, their medicines… I am more concerned about that now,” said Agarwal. “That's my priority.”

He said his parents traveled to the Bay Area every year and had never experienced such a turbulent trip.

“They will reach my brother's house, sit down with my brother and sister-in-law over coffee and enjoy food within 22 hours after they leave India,” he said.

Agarwal explained, “They said, ‘We are enjoying ourselves,' making the most of the situation. Connecting the ‘flight family' as it is now, they are very supportive. Everyone is helping everyone and young people are helping seniors and things like that. So I think God exists.”

Although current border restrictions do not allow flights from Russia to the US, Air India says the “ferry” aircraft will be the plane that will carry all passengers and crew to SFO.

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