More than 200 passengers were left stranded and calling for help in a remote Turkish airport yesterday after a jet made an emergency landing due to a panicked passenger.
The flight had left Heathrow for Mumbai at 11.40am but never arrived as a woman started ‘shouting and screaming at 30,000ft’.
A source said: ‘The situation had become so scary that the decision was taken to land so she could receive medical help.’
The Airbus A350 therefore diverted to Turkey and landed in Diyarbakir at about 4pm – primarily a military hub but the site of some civilian flights.
Passengers sent out calls for help as they reported being given only rice and feeling abandoned for 16 hours.
Among the trapped were babies, diabetic patients and pensioners, with a video showing a four-months pregnant woman saying: ‘Everyone is suffering. Please help.’
Other frustrated mothers said everyone was ordered to leave their carry-on bags on the plane.
An elderly man said: ‘We’re so tired. Can anyone do something?’
Pictured: Virgin Atlantic flight VIR-358, from London, UK to India, makes an emergency landing at Diyarbakir Airport after a passenger fell ill
The Airbus A350 diverted to Turkey and landed in Diyarbakir (pictured) at about 4pm – primarily a military hub but the site of some civilian flights
The Diyarbakir hub is not built for wide-bodied passenger planes and the jet had a technical problem on site meaning it was unable to leave for India.
Diplomats are understood to have arranged for 24-hour visas so passengers would be able to stay in hotels nearby.
They may be put on a flight today to Saudi Arabia for a connecting trip.
Passengers reported having received minimal updates from Virgin Atlantic (VS) regarding alternative travel arrangements.
Under international aviation regulations, airlines must provide food, refreshments, and accommodation when flights are significantly delayed.
A similar event on December 1 last year saw a Gulf Air flight from Mumbai to Manchester via Bahrain make an emergency landing at Kuwait Airport following an engine fire.
As a result, passengers were stranded for 13 hours.
In relation to yesterday’s mishap, a spokesman for Virgin said: ‘We sincerely apologise.’
