A Ryanair flight en route from Berlin to Milan was forced to make an emergency landing in southern Germany on Tuesday night after encountering severe turbulence during a thunderstorm, leaving nine passengers injured.
The aircraft, operating as flight FR8, diverted to Memmingen Airport in Bavaria, approximately 113 kilometers west of Munich, after weather conditions deteriorated rapidly mid-flight. According to a statement issued by Bavarian police, the decision to land was made by the pilot after the plane was shaken by heavy turbulence triggered by the storm system.
Although the flight landed safely, nine passengers aged between 2 and 59 sustained injuries during the incident. Police confirmed that a woman suffered a head injury, her two-year-old child sustained bruises, and another passenger, a 59-year-old woman, reported back pain. All three were taken to a local hospital for treatment. The remaining injured passengers were assessed and treated at the scene.
Authorities did not specify how many people were on board the aircraft at the time of the incident, but emergency services, including medical teams, were on standby following the pilot’s call for assistance.
In a statement issued early Wednesday, Ryanair confirmed the incident, noting that the flight had experienced “some air turbulence” en route to Milan and was diverted for safety reasons.
“The aircraft landed normally and the captain requested medical assistance to meet the aircraft upon arrival,” the airline said. “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.”
Local aviation authorities did not approve any onward flights from Memmingen Airport following the emergency landing, prompting the airline to arrange a bus transfer to Milan for affected passengers.
Ryanair extended its apologies to passengers, stating, “We sincerely apologise to passengers affected by this diversion.”
Thunderstorms and unstable weather have impacted air traffic across parts of Europe in recent days, prompting flight delays and cancellations. Aviation experts warn that extreme weather events, including turbulence, are likely to become more frequent due to shifting global climate patterns.
