Arabian Post Staff -Dubai
A Ryanair flight from Berlin to Milan was forced to make an emergency landing at Memmingen Airport in southern Germany on Wednesday evening after encountering severe turbulence that injured nine people on board.
The Boeing 737-800 aircraft, carrying 179 passengers and six crew members, was en route to Milan Malpensa Airport when it flew into a violent storm system over Bavaria around 8:30 p.m. local time. The turbulence was so intense that passengers were thrown against the cabin ceiling, with several sustaining injuries ranging from bruises to head trauma.
Among the injured were eight passengers and one crew member. Three individuals, including a woman with a head injury and her two-year-old child who suffered bruises, were transported to a local hospital in Memmingen for further treatment. The remaining injured received medical attention on-site and were released. Emergency services evaluated all passengers and crew as a precautionary measure.
Passengers described the ordeal as terrifying, with one individual recounting that the plane tilted sharply and people were hurled into the air without warning. The sudden onset of turbulence left many in shock, and some reported that there had been no prior announcement from the cockpit about the impending rough air.
The aircraft landed safely at Memmingen Airport at 8:44 p.m., where emergency responders were on standby. Due to the severity of the storm and the condition of the aircraft, authorities did not permit the plane to continue its journey. Ryanair arranged for alternative transportation, including buses, to carry passengers the remaining 380 kilometers to Milan.
The German Weather Service indicated that the turbulence was likely caused by a supercell storm—a powerful and rotating thunderstorm capable of producing severe weather phenomena such as tornadoes and large hail. The DWD issued warnings for further storms in the region, with expectations of hail, strong winds, and heavy rain.
In related incidents, the same storm system caused significant damage in parts of southern Germany. In the Donaustetten district of Ulm, strong winds tore roofs off multiple row houses, rendering them uninhabitable. Fire officials suspect a small tornado or waterspout caused the damage. No injuries were reported in that incident. Emergency services responded to numerous calls about fallen trees and flooded basements across the region.
