Cathay Pacific jet stranded for 16 hours in China

FILE PHOTO

BEIJING, China—Chinese authorities say a Cathay Pacific flight from New York to Hong Kong was stranded for more than 16 hours in a Chinese city because of bad weather and limits on the crew’s work hours.

Flight 831 was diverted to the southern city of Zhuhai on the night of March 30 because of a hail storm. According to the customs district in Zhuhai, the plane was left sitting on the tarmac for hours until Cathay Pacific sent it a new flight crew because of work-hour limits on the first crew.

According to the customs, the Chinese officials worked continuously to accommodate the new crew members, who flew the plane out of Zhuhai at 1:20 p.m. on March 31.

The flight usually takes 15 to 16 hours. The airline didn’t comment immediately.