Hundreds of Indian passengers stranded after mid-flight medical incident.
A Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787 Dreamliner seconds from touchdown in Las Vegas. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
Over 200 Indian passengers remain stranded at Diyarbakir Airport in southeastern Turkey after their Virgin Atlantic flight, VS 358, from London to Mumbai made an emergency landing due to a medical incident, officials and passengers confirmed.
The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, carrying 225 passengers, diverted to Diyarbakir Airport (DIY) late Wednesday after a passenger experienced a medical emergency mid-flight, according to Virgin Atlantic and airport officials. The passenger was subsequently treated by local medical personnel.
However, as a predominantly domestic airport with shared civilian and military operations, it lacks the necessary ground handling capabilities and passenger facilities to support a widebody aircraft and its large passenger volume for a prolonged period.
Passengers reported being kept in the airport’s limited transit area for over 16 hours, with minimal updates from the airline. Social media posts from passengers and their families highlighted the worsening conditions.
The airline attributed the delay to the logistical challenges of arranging a replacement aircraft and the limited resources at Diyarbakir Airport. Passengers have expressed frustration over the lack of clear communication and the absence of basic amenities, including adequate food and rest facilities.
Virgin Atlantic, in a response on its X (formerly Twitter) account, stated that due to Diyarbakır Airport being outside its operational hours, customers remained in the international departure lounge overnight. The airline added that refreshments, including water, were provided, and they sincerely apologized for any inconvenience caused.
The Indian Embassy in Ankara confirmed they were aware of the situation and were in contact with both the airline and Turkish authorities to provide assistance to the stranded passengers. “We are monitoring the situation closely and are providing necessary consular support,” an embassy spokesperson said.
According to reports from Diyarbakir Airport officials, they are assisting the passengers to the best of their ability, given the airport’s limited capacity for international diversions. A local airport official reportedly stated, “We are providing what facilities we have available, but this is not an airport designed for this scale of international transit.”
As of Thursday afternoon, Virgin Atlantic was reportedly arranging for a replacement aircraft to transport the passengers to Mumbai. The exact departure time remained uncertain, and passenger frustrations continued to mount.
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