Diver Tom Daley was on a Virgin flight bound for Heathrow when the airline was forced to make an emergency landing in Siberia.
The flight travelling from Shanghai to Heathrow with 286 passengers and 15 crew diverted to Irkutsk after the crew received a cargo smoke indication, reports aviation website, the Aviation Herald.
Emergency services did not find any trace of fire, heat or smoke.
Daley, who was travelling with partner Dustin Lance Black, had been competing in the diving World Cup in Shanghai where he came 4th.
A Virgin spokeswoman told the Daily Mail: ‘Virgin Atlantic can confirm that the VS251 travelling from Shanghai to London Heathrow has diverted to Irkutsk Airport, Russia, as a precautionary measure due to a technical issue. Safety and security is always our top priority."
