More than 250 passengers, including several Indians, have been stuck at Turkey’s Diyarbakir Airport for over 30 hours after a Virgin Atlantic flight had to make an emergency landing.
Flight VS358 left London’s Heathrow Airport at 11:40 a.m. on April 2 and was supposed to land in Mumbai at 1:40 a.m. on April 3. However, due to a medical emergency with one of the passengers, the flight was diverted and landed at Diyarbakir Airport around 7 p.m. the same day.
After what Virgin Atlantic called a “hard landing,” the plane was found to have a technical problem and was declared unfit to fly. While the crew was taken to a hotel, the passengers were left inside a restricted area of the small Diyarbakir Airport, which lacks basic facilities.
In a statement on Thursday, the UK-based airline said, “We are actively exploring all options, including sending another aircraft, to help our customers reach Mumbai as soon as possible.” Meanwhile, passengers shared their tough experiences on social media. Many posted about the lack of basic needs including not enough food, very few toilets, and no charging points for phones.
“It’s been 24 hours and no one from the airline has spoken to the passengers. There’s barely any food, only one toilet for 275 people, and no way to charge phones because they don’t have Turkish plug points. There are babies, pregnant women, elderly people, and diabetics stuck in this situation,” wrote AAP leader Preeti Sharma-Menon on X, urging the government to step in.
What Indian Embassy said
The Indian Embassy in Turkey has assured that it is closely working with the concerned authorities to help the passengers stranded at Diyarbakir Airport. In a post on X, the Embassy said, “We are in regular contact with Virgin Atlantic, the Diyarbakir Airport officials, and the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Efforts are being made to ensure the passengers are looked after properly. We are also working with the authorities to arrange an alternate flight to Mumbai at the earliest.”
Several people took to social media to express their concern and frustration over the situation at Diyarbakir Airport.
“My family member is stuck in Diyarbakir. She was visiting her father, who is in poor health,” wrote X user Sanjay Shah. “Why such poor treatment from a top airline? No food, no water. The entire cabin crew disappeared after landing.”
Another user, Satyam Surana, who was among the first to highlight the issue online, said, “@VirginAtlantic has completely failed to provide any proper update or help to the stranded passengers. Women, elderly people, babies, everyone is stuck and frustrated.”
Diyarbakir Airport, which is a small military airport with limited facilities, made things even harder for the stranded passengers. Many took to X to complain about the staff’s rude behaviour and poor English skills. Sherilyn Fernandes, whose family member is among those stuck, wrote on X, “The airport staff is angry about the emergency landing, even though it wasn’t the passengers’ fault. They are even asking for passports.”
After 24 hours, Virgin Atlantic said it had arranged hotel stays for the passengers and was “working on a solution” to help them continue their journey to Mumbai on April 4. AAP leader Preeti Sharma-Menon tweeted, “Thanks to the Indian Consular Officer in Turkey, the passengers were moved to a hotel last night. @VirginAtlantic still hasn’t given a clear update on when they will fly home.”
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