Passengers have claimed they were ‘flung out of their seats’ during a Ryanair flight which was forced to return to Birmingham, after it experienced severe turbulence
A passenger aboard a Ryanair flight forced to return to Birmingham has described how travellers were ‘flung out of their seats’ during a harrowing incident that saw the aircraft lurch violently without warning.
The 33 year old from Lichfield, who asked not to be named, likened the experience to ‘like something from a horror movie’. The flight took off from Birmingham Airport at around 2.50pm on Sunday, December 28 and transmitted an emergency signal (squawk 7700) over Brittany, France, having reached an altitude of 35,000ft, reports Birmingham Live..
According to The Aviation Herald, passengers reported the turbulence struck whilst cabin service was underway, resulting in injuries to several people. The aircraft then turned back and dropped to FL100 (flying at 10,000ft).
The woman recounted: “I was on this flight. It felt like something you see on a horror movie. We were smooth cruising then, out of nowhere all of a sudden, the plane jerked to the left extremely quickly and then to the right.
“It felt like a loss of control, and then we plummeted down and we were flung out of our seats. I came out physically unharmed but the mental toll this has taken it awful.”
“Who knows [what happened] – I would like real answers though this has really traumatised me. The cabin crew said within their 10 years as cabin crew they’ve never experienced anything like it.”
The aircraft landed safely at Birmingham roughly one hour and 32 minutes after take-off. According to AirLive, it was held at a remote parking area at the airport so paramedics could assist passengers.
A Ryanair spokesperson told the Mirror on Sunday evening: “FR1121 from Birmingham to Tenerife on 28th December returned to Birmingham Airport shortly after take-off due to air turbulence.
“The aircraft landed normally before passengers disembarked and returned to the terminal, where a small number of passengers were provided with medical assistance. This flight continued to Tenerife at 21:06 local.”
The Mirror has contacted Ryanair for additional comment.
