Fri Apr 04 12:23:53 UTC 2025: ## Virgin Atlantic Passengers Stranded in Turkey After Medical Diversion Finally Arrive in Mumbai
**MUMBAI, INDIA – April 7, 2024** – Over 250 passengers, many of whom are Indian citizens, aboard a Virgin Atlantic flight from London to Mumbai finally arrived in Mumbai late Friday evening after being stranded for over 40 hours at Diyarbakir Airport in Turkey. The flight, VS358, was diverted to Diyarbakir on Wednesday due to a medical emergency.
The unexpected diversion resulted in a lengthy delay as the aircraft underwent extensive technical inspections before being cleared for departure. Passengers reported inadequate provisions during their ordeal, including a lack of blankets and vegetarian food options, and described spending time sitting on the airport floor. Virgin Atlantic provided hotel accommodation on Thursday evening.
The airline issued a statement apologizing for the disruption and the extended delay, emphasizing that the safety and security of passengers and crew remain their top priority. The flight, VS1358, finally departed Diyarbakir at 1:00 PM local time on Friday and landed in Mumbai around 8:49 PM local time. While the aircraft, an A350-1000, has over 300 seats, approximately 250 passengers were on board the diverted flight.
First Piper 