More than 200 air passengers on a London-Mumbai Virgin Atlantic flight, many of them Indians, are stranded in Turkey's Diyarbakir airport for nearly 40 hours now. After the VS358 flight from London to Mumbai was cancelled due to an "urgent medical diversion" to Diyarbakir airport. The airline in a statement said after landing, the aircraft suffered a technical issue and is being inspected.
A Virgin Atlantic flight (VS358) that took off from London Heathrow to Mumbai on April 2 was diverted to Diyarbakır Airport in Turkey due to an urgent medical reason. After receiving the necessary technical approvals, the flight will resume its onward journey to Mumbai from Diyarbakır Airport at 12:00 local time today, as per the airline company.
A Virgin Atlantic flight spokesperson said, " If approvals are not received, we plan instead to provide a bus transfer for customers to an alternative aircraft at another Turkish airport tomorrow to complete our customers journey to Mumbai.”
He said in the meantime, passengers are being provided with overnight hotel accommodation and refreshments in Turkey, while we work towards a resolution, and we will keep all customers informed as soon as new updates become available.
In the meantime, all stranded passengers took to social media to flag issues they are facing. Many of them complained of a single toilet for all stranded passengers as they waited at the airport.
One of the passengers told news agency PTI that they had not been provided blankets to brave the single-digit temperatures. Moreover, visuals on social media showed passengers resting on airport seats, visibly harrowed by the delay and uncertainty after the disruption.
The Indian Embassy in Ankara took to X to assure the passenger that it is in constant communication with the Airline.
"Embassy of India, Ankara is in constant communication with Virgin Atlantic Airlines, Diyarbakir Airport Directorate and Ministry of Foreign Afaiirs, Turkiye. Through the Mission's coordination, appropriate care is being extended to the passengers. We are in discussion with the relevant authorities regarding the early resolution of the issue and the arrangement of an alternate flight to Mumbai for the stranded passengers," the official X account of the Embassy in India in Ankara said.