Sonali Tiwary
A Ryanair Boeing 737 hit a fence while taxiing after landing at a Greek airport on June 18, 2025, tearing part of its wing. The plane had just landed at Kalamata International Airport after flying from London Stansted when the accident happened.
Pictures shared online show serious damage to the right wingtip after it struck a red and white barrier. Despite the damage, no one was hurt during the incident.
Passengers said they felt a strong impact when the plane hit the fence. “While it was taxi-ing down the runway towards the red and white barrier, the plane turned and everyone heard this loud banging sound. You could feel the impact,” one passenger told reporters.
Many travelers were upset that they had to stay on the damaged plane instead of getting off right away. “There was an announcement that everyone had to wait on the plane for the fire brigade,” a passenger said. “With the wing damaged the way it was, why wouldn’t you evacuate the plane first? Everyone was scared – it was the fact they said wait on the plane even though there was clearly a risk of fire.”
The damaged part of the wing was close to where fuel is stored, making some passengers worry about a possible fire. Emergency teams arrived quickly to check the situation.
Passengers also mentioned that the flight had been very bumpy during landing. Some questioned why the seatbelt sign wasn’t turned on during the rough air.
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Ryanair confirmed what happened in a short statement: “This flight from London Stansted to Kalamata was taxiing to stand when the wing tip came in contact with a fence at Kalamata Airport. The aircraft subsequently continued to stand, and passengers disembarked normally. The aircraft then underwent the required inspections and maintenance prior to its return to service.”
The damaged plane was a Boeing 737 MAX 8-200, with registration code EI-HMZ. After repairs, it quickly went back into service, flying to Milan and Tirana the very next day.
However, the return flight to London Stansted faced big delays. Ryanair had to bring in a different plane from Madrid – an older Malta Air Boeing 737-800 with registration 9H-QFA. This caused an 8.5-hour delay for passengers heading back to the UK.
Ground safety at airports remains an important concern in aviation. While much attention goes to safety during flight, accidents during taxiing – when planes move around on the ground – happen regularly at airports worldwide.
The incident occurred during the busy summer travel season, when Kalamata International Airport handles many more flights than usual. The airport serves as an entry point for tourists visiting southern Greece, with airlines like Ryanair running seasonal routes from various European cities during summer months.
