Siberian air passengers had to get out and push their plane in temperatures of minus 52 degrees Celsius after its chassis froze.
A screenshot from the YouTube video showing passengers pushing the stuck plane. Photo: YOUTUBE
The story emerged after a passenger posted a video on YouTube showing the travellers pushing the plane on the snow-covered runway in Igarka, which is beyond the Arctic Circle, the ABC reported.
Passengers pushed the plane until it was able to turn and then the tow truck took over; the flight took off and went smoothly.
Russian transport prosecutors are now investigating whether air-safety laws were broken.
"Due to the low air temperatures, the chassis's brake system froze and a tow truck was unable to move the plane onto the taxiway to carry out the flight," the prosecutors confirmed in a statement.
"The passengers on board got out of the plane and started pushing it onto the taxiway."
The plane had 74 passengers and was being operated by a Siberian airline called Katekavia, which is part of the group UTair. The incident took place on Tuesday.
The plane was flying from Igarka, about 2800 kilometres northeast of Moscow, to the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk.
