ISLAMABAD, Oct 3: Over 400 Umra pilgrims returning to Pakistan by a PIA flight remained stranded at the Jeddah airport for close to 18 hours from Thursday night.

The ordeal of the passengers who were to fly back home by the special Umra flight PK-7644 started because of a fault in the aircraft.

However, when the fault in the ageing Boeing 747-300 was rectified after several hours, the crew refused to fly saying they had completed their duty hours and according to aviation regulations they should not fly.

Left with no other option the airline had to request for fresh crew from Karachi.

During all this period the passengers were kept confined in one lounge of the airport.

“The passengers were taken care of at the airport,” PIA spokesperson Ms Talat Wasim said.

The flight carrying the stranded passengers finally departed on Friday night after about 18 hours.