London-Mumbai Flight Makes Emergency Landing In Turkey's Diyarbakir Airport; Over 200 Passengers Stuck For 16 Hours

Passengers stuck at Diyarbakir Airport (DIY) stated that Virgin Atlantic flight has asked them to make alternate accommodations if possible.

Representational Image | Over 200 Indian passengers endured a 16-hour ordeal in Turkey after their Virgin Atlantic flight diverted due to a medical emergency and later developed a technical issue.

Source : X

Over 200 Indian passengers have been stuck in Turkey for more than 16 hours following a Virgin Atlantic flight going from London to Mumbai diverted due to a medical emergency and later reportedly developed a technical issue.

The aircraft landed at Diyarbakir Airport (DIY), a remote airport in Turkey that lacks the necessary infrastructure to handle such situations, leading to delays in arranging an alternative flight. Passengers were informed that the plane experienced a technical issue during landing.

All the passengers are uncertain about their onward journey from Turkey as the airline is yet to announce any alternate arrangements. A passenger told CNN News18, “Emergency landing was made as one passenger had a panic attack. The airport in Turkey is not efficient enough to handle the aircraft."

Virgin Atlantic Flight Asks Passengers To Make Alternate Accommodations

Frustrated passengers have urged the airline and authorities to arrange alternate transportation promptly. Sharing their distress, one traveller mentioned that no accommodation had been provided, and they were unable to leave the airport since it is a military base.

"When we landed, first we remained onboard the aircraft for five hours. Then we were asked to alight as the airline needed to fix a technical issue on the plane. We have now been at the airport for 13 hours with Virgin Atlantic neither making any arrangements for us nor giving us any information on when we will leave for Mumbai," and then some passengers told TOI on the phone from there that the aircraft developed a snag," another stranded passengers, Sagar Kochhar, told TOI on the phone from Turkey.

Other passengers reported that Virgin Atlantic has asked them to make alternate accommodations if possible. "This is not Istanbul. How we make any arrangements, the airline is supposed to do so. We are sleeping on the floor, on chairs, and the food being given is simply inedible," another passenger added.