- Saturday, April 05, 2025
After taking off from London on Wednesday, the flight was diverted to Diyarbakir airport in Turkey due to a medical emergency. But due to the nature of landing, the aircraft required extensive inspection
By: India Weekly
AFTER being stranded for more than 40 hours at a Turkey airport, over 250 Virgin Atlantic passengers, including Indians, landed at the Mumbai airport late Friday (4).
After taking off from London on Wednesday (2) the flight was diverted to Diyarbakir military airport in Turkey due to a medical emergency.
“We’re sorry that Virgin Atlantic flight VS358 from London Heathrow to Mumbai on April 2 was disrupted following an urgent medical diversion to Diyarbakır Airport in Turkey.
“Due to the nature of the landing, the aircraft required extensive technical inspection before the aircraft was cleared to operate.
“The safety and security of our customers and crew remains our highest priority, and we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused and prolonged delay,” the spokesperson said in the statement on Friday.
The flight landed at the Mumbai airport around 9 pm.
The spokesperson said the passengers were provided with overnight hotel accommodation on Thursday evening.
However, one of the passengers told PTI that they all had to sit on the floor, and no blankets were available.
The passenger also added that no vegetarian food was available.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Preeti Sharma Menon on Saturday (5) said that pressure from passengers, Indian authorities and media finally got Virgin Atlantic to “rescue” passengers stranded in Turkey for 40 hours.
Menon, whose relatives were on the flight, said the airline abandoned its passengers at the remote military airport, and the local staff had no resources to manage them despite trying their best.
It was at the intervention of the Indian Consul in Turkey that they were given food and hotel stay after a 26-hour ordeal of sitting on metal chairs and sharing just one toilet, she said.
Menon said, “Pressure from passengers, the Indian authorities, and media finally got Virgin Atlantic to rescue the passengers who landed in Mumbai two days after their scheduled arrival, having spent almost three days in transit.” (PTI)
