A planned vacation took an unexpected turn for a group of Mangaluru residents, including two siblings, who now find themselves stranded at Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The group was originally slated to fly back to India on Tuesday aboard an Azerbaijan Airlines flight bound for Mumbai. However, what began with a two-hour delay quickly spiraled into an ordeal. Aloysius D’Silva, one of the affected travelers, shared that their plane had been airborne for roughly three-and-a-half hours when the pilot suddenly made a startling announcement mid-flight.

According to the captain, due to ongoing military action referred to as “Operation Sindoor” — reportedly an Indian strike on terror sites in Pakistan — the aircraft would not be allowed to cross Pakistani airspace. The flight, instead of proceeding to Mumbai as planned, had to turn back and return to Baku.

The aircraft was carrying approximately 150 passengers, mostly Indian nationals, many of whom were tourists from across the country. D’Silva, a resident of Kulshekar in Mangaluru, had been vacationing in Azerbaijan with five family members since April 30.

Now grounded at the airport, the group is searching for alternate travel options. “We’re looking into other routes through Qatar or the UAE to get back home,” D’Silva said.

The situation has left passengers anxious and uncertain, as diplomatic tensions spill over into civilian travel.