A 33-year-old passenger on a Ryanair flight described a harrowing experience when the plane was struck by intense turbulence at cruising altitude, resulting in passengers being violently thrown from their seats. The flight, departing Birmingham Airport for Tenerife on December 28, was forced to turn back after issuing an emergency signal over Brittany, France.
The woman, who chose to remain anonymous, recalled the incident as resembling a scene from a horror movie. The turbulence struck suddenly as cabin service was underway, causing the plane to jerk sharply from left to right before rapidly descending from 35,000 feet to 10,000 feet. Injuries were reported among passengers, some of whom required medical attention upon landing.
“It felt like a loss of control,” she said. “We were flung out of our seats. Physically, I escaped unharmed, but the mental impact has been devastating.” Other passengers reportedly spotted a fighter jet flying near the Ryanair plane just before the turbulence. The woman questioned how such aircraft could go undetected by the plane’s radar.
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Cabin crew members, with years of experience under their belts, stated that they had never encountered turbulence like this before. The flight safely landed back at Birmingham Airport about 92 minutes after takeoff. Paramedics were on hand at a remote stand to assist injured passengers.
Ryanair confirmed the return, stating: “Flight FR1121 from Birmingham to Tenerife on December 28th returned shortly after takeoff due to air turbulence. The aircraft landed normally, and a small number of passengers received medical assistance. The flight later continued to Tenerife at 21:06 local time.”
The airline has not provided additional details following the incident.