Ryanair passengers are 'thrown against the ceiling' with nine injured as extreme turbulence hits flight
Nine people were injured on board a Ryanair flight after severe storms caused violent turbulence which forced the plane to make an emergency landing.
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The flight, travelling from Berlin to Milan with 179 passengers and six crew members, encountered turbulence so intense around 8.30pm that the pilot was forced to make an unscheduled landing at Memmingen Airport in Bavaria.
Eight passengers and one crew member were hurt.
Three people were taken to hospital in Memmingen for treatment, the other injured people were released after receiving outpatient treatment. As a precaution, all passengers were checked for injuries by the emergency services.
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Several passengers are reported to have been out of their seats when the plane was struck by the turbulence, with a mother and baby said to have been in the toilet at the time.
Some passengers claimed that they were not sufficiently warned to put their safety belts on, according to German news outlet BILD.
A passenger told BILD: "I've never been scared before—but at that moment, I thought the plane was going to break apart or roll over!"
The news outlet also reported that passengers were thrown into the ceiling - with photos from inside the cabin showing loose ceiling panels and completely shocked passengers.
Three of those who were injured were reportedly hospitalised, including a two-year-old who suffered bruises, a woman who sustained a head laceration and another passenger who had back pain.
The airline said: “FR8 from Berlin to Milan on 4th June diverted to Memmingen after experiencing some air turbulence.
“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. We sincerely apologise to passengers affected by this diversion.”
Authorities did not permit the plane to continue flying, and the airline arranged bus transport for passengers. Milan is about 380 kilometres (236 miles) south of Memmingen.
Elsewhere in the region, storms damaged several homes in Ulm, Baden-Wurttemberg, according to the German news agency dpa.
In the Donaustetten district, strong winds tore roofs off multiple houses, rendering them uninhabitable, though no injuries were reported.
Fire officials suspect a small tornado or waterspout caused the damage. The German Weather Service (DWD) is investigating, according to dpa.
Storm-related emergency calls also came from other areas in southern Germany, where damage was mostly limited to fallen trees and flooded basements.
The DWD warned of further storms on Thursday, with hail, strong winds and localised heavy rain expected.