Nine passengers aboard a Ryanair flight from Berlin to Milan were injured after it was forced to make an emergency landing in Memmingen, a town in Bavaria, Germany, following heavy turbulence during a thunderstorm, a police statement said.
One crew member was also among those injured in the rough flight.
The statement added that the plane, which had been carrying 179 passengers and six flight crew members, could not land at the Munich Airport due to the inclement weather. As a result, it was quickly diverted to the Memmingen airport, where it landed safely at 8:44PM Wednesday night (local time).
“A total of nine people between the ages of two and fifty-nine were injured by the high turbulence. A 59-year-old woman complained of back pain. Another woman sustained a head laceration, and her 2-year-old toddler suffered bruises. The three people were taken to the hospital in Memmingen for treatment, while the other injured people were discharged after receiving outpatient treatment on site. As a precautionary measure, all passengers were checked for injuries by the emergency services,” the statement reported.
The Irish carrier said in a statement on Thursday that the flight’s captain had even requested medical assistance ahead of landing.
As the terrible weather persisted, the Southern Bavaria Aviation Authority did not approve of further flights, due to which the airline apologised to passengers and arranged for bus transport—as well as a replacement flight on Thursday—to Milan, situated approximately 380km south of Memmingen.
The German weather service (DWD) has also warned of further storms on Thursday, with hail, strong winds, and localised heavy rain expected.
9 injured in Ryanair flight hit by extreme turbulence: German police
