Passengers Stranded on Royal Air Maroc Flight in St. Petersburg for Over Eight Hours

Passengers aboard a Royal Air Maroc flight from Casablanca to Moscow have been trapped inside the aircraft at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport for more than eight hours after the plane was diverted due to restrictions at Moscow airports following drone attacks. The flight departed Casablanca on the evening of June 17 and was scheduled to land at Sheremetyevo Airport on the morning of June 18. However, it was redirected to St. Petersburg amid security measures.

According to passenger accounts, after landing at Pulkovo, the plane remained sealed, and passengers were not allowed to disembark. Supplies of water and food ran out, and the toilets became unable to cope with the demand. Several passengers reported feeling ill due to poor ventilation and stifling conditions. One woman reportedly fell ill, but crew members were unable to call for medical assistance because passengers were still confined inside the aircraft.

One passenger named Anastasia told media that luggage was first unloaded and then reloaded onto the plane. She noted that the crew was informed of a postponed departure time every 15 minutes. "There are small children and elderly people here; many have become unwell due to lack of air. Panic has broken out on the plane," she said.

According to flight tracking data from Flightradar24, the aircraft remained at Pulkovo at the time of reporting. Although Sheremetyevo's arrival board had updated the flight's expected arrival time from 06:00 to 10:00, the plane had not yet departed for Moscow.