Sonali Tiwary
A Ryanair flight traveling from Berlin to Milan made an emergency landing in southern Germany after hitting severe turbulence, leaving nine people injured. The incident happened on June 4, 2025, when flight FR8 encountered powerful thunderstorms over Bavaria.
The Boeing 737 aircraft with 179 passengers and six crew members on board landed at Memmingen Airport at 8:44 PM local time (6:44 PM GMT). Three passengers required hospital treatment, including a woman with a head injury and a two-year-old child who suffered bruising. Another passenger was hospitalized with back pain, while six others received treatment at the scene.
“I’ve never been scared before, but in that moment, I thought the plane was going to break apart or roll over,” one passenger told German newspaper BILD. Travelers described a chaotic scene with some people being thrown against the ceiling during the violent turbulence.
The flight captain called ahead for medical assistance as the plane diverted to Memmingen. Landing at Munich Airport was “impossible” due to the severe weather conditions, according to Bavarian police. Emergency services were waiting when the aircraft touched down safely.
Similar Posts
Reports suggest some passengers weren’t wearing seatbelts when the turbulence hit. A mother and baby were allegedly in the toilet during the incident, and some travelers claimed they hadn’t received adequate warning to fasten their seatbelts.
The Southern Bavaria Aviation Authority did not approve the flight to continue its journey that evening. Ryanair arranged alternative transport to Milan that night and scheduled a replacement flight the following morning.
“We sincerely apologise to passengers affected by this diversion,” Ryanair said in a statement.
The turbulence incident occurred during widespread storms across southern Germany that caused significant damage. High winds tore roofs from homes in the region, with meteorologists investigating whether a small tornado had struck nearby Donaustetten, where multiple houses were partially destroyed.
The German Weather Service issued warnings of further storms in the area, with hail, strong winds, and heavy rain expected in the following days.
This Ryanair incident comes amid growing concern about turbulence in aviation. Research suggests severe clear-air turbulence (which occurs in cloudless skies) has increased significantly over major flight routes in recent decades, with scientists linking this trend to climate change. Turbulence remains the leading cause of injuries in non-fatal airline accidents.
Aviation safety experts consistently recommend that passengers keep their seatbelts fastened whenever seated, even when the seatbelt sign is off, as unexpected turbulence can occur with little or no warning.
