Nine people were injured and terrified passengers left in tears after a Ryanair flight was struck by severe turbulence mid-air, forcing an emergency landing in Germany.
The flight, travelling from Berlin to Milan, ran into violent thunderstorms over southern Germany on Tuesday night. Passengers described scenes of chaos with people hurled into the cabin ceiling as the plane was violently buffeted.
“I've never been scared before – but at that moment, I thought the plane was going to break apart or roll over,” one passenger told German outlet BILD.
Several passengers were reportedly not wearing seatbelts at the time of the turbulence. A mother and baby were said to be in the toilet when the plane was shaken, while others claimed they had not been given adequate warning to fasten their belts.
The flight made an unscheduled landing at Memmingen Airport, where emergency services met the plane on the tarmac. Photos showed ambulances surrounding the aircraft and medics assisting passengers inside the terminal building.
A total of 179 passengers and six crew were on board. Three of the injured were taken to hospital — including a two-year-old child who suffered bruising, a woman with a head laceration, and another passenger with back pain. Others received treatment at the scene.
Passengers were reportedly kept on the plane for several hours after landing, with some describing the atmosphere as “irritable” and “agitated”.
Ryanair confirmed the incident and apologised to those affected, saying: “FR8 from Berlin to Milan on 4th June diverted to Memmingen after experiencing some air turbulence. To get passengers to their final destination as quickly as possible, we arranged for alternative transport from Memmingen to Milan that night, as well as a replacement flight this morning.”
The airline had initially arranged a bus transfer as local aviation authorities had not cleared onward flights, according to police.
Storms across southern Germany on Tuesday night caused widespread disruption, with high winds tearing roofs from homes and leaving some properties uninhabitable. Meteorologists are now investigating whether a small tornado may have struck the area.
The incident comes just weeks after passengers on a flight over India were left screaming as the plane was hit by turbulence, hail and a bird strike.
