Boeing 777 from Zurich to LA carrying 300 passengers is forced to make an emergency landing at remote Canadian airport in -6F weather after suffering an engine malfunction 

  • Swiss International 40 flight from Zurich to LA on Wednesday made emergency landing at Iqaluit Airport, in Canada after one engine stopped working
  • In a video of the landing, the plane looks disproportionately large as it descends
  • Town mayor was eager for the passengers to take a tour of Iqaluit, a city of about 6,000 people, but they stayed on the plane and waited for a replacement
  • Passengers were rerouted to New York and didn't take off until 14 hours later

By Dailymail.com Reporter

Published: 15:49 EST, 4 February 2017 | Updated: 16:12 EST, 4 February 2017

Nearly 300 passengers heading to Los Angeles landed in a remote and snow-covered Canadian airport after one of the engines on the Boeing 777 stopped working.

The Swiss International flight from Zurich to California on Wednesday made an emergency landing at Iqaluit Airport, where the sole runway usually accommodates much smaller aircraft.

The town mayor quickly arranged for the passengers to take a tour of the city, where temperatures hovered around minus six degrees Fahrenheit, but they ended up staying on the plane until a replacement arrived hours later from New York. 

Scroll down for video 

Nearly 300 passengers heading to Los Angeles landed in the remote and snow-covered Iqaluit Airport in Canada after one engine on the Boeing 777 stopped working on Wednesday

In a video of the plane, filmed by Brian Tattuinee, the Boeing 777 appears disproportionately large (left) as it descends and leaves a trail of snow during touchdown (right)

Swiss International Flight 40 suffered a 'technical irregularity' and made an emergency landing in Iqaluit at around 3pm local time, according to Canada's National Post. 

In a video of the plane, filmed by Brian Tattuinee,  the Boeing 777 appears disproportionately large as it descends onto the snowy tarmac. 

The airport director John Hawkins told the National Post: 'The real issue was they only had one engine, but despite that it was a smooth landing.'

Leroy Sanchez, a singer songwriter based in Los Angeles, was on the flight and tweeted that he was 'in the middle of the North Pole.' 

While the mayor of Iqaluit was eager for the passengers to soak in the city of about 6,000 people, suggesting they visit a local museum and aquatic center, the passengers ended up staying on the plane.

The stranded passengers took off for New York at around  5am the next morning, before they headed to their final destination, according to the Nunatsiaq News.

Hawkins said it was better off that they didn't stay in the city overnight, because there would not have been enough hotel rooms to accommodate the large group.   

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