Turbulence injures Ryanair cabin crew on descent into Mallorca
Two crew members hospitalised after turbulence aboard a Ryanair flight from Vitoria to Palma de Mallorca; emergency crews meet the plane at Son Sant Joan airport.
A Ryanair flight carrying about 180 passengers from Vitoria on the Spanish mainland to Palma de Mallorca encountered severe turbulence during descent, injuring two cabin crew members, the New York Post reported. The Sun, citing the same events, said the turbulence struck as a storm front moved through the area.
Emergency services met the aircraft on arrival at Son Sant Joan airport in Mallorca to tend to the injured crew members. The plane landed safely, and authorities said crews were assessing the extent of the injuries.
Two crew members were badly injured after being hurled around the cabin as the turbulence struck; one flight attendant was sent toward the ceiling, while another was struck by the trolley being pushed down the aisle, according to reporting from the Standard. Several other crew members were injured while performing final safety checks in the cabin.
The New York Post noted that Ryanair did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and that the Post had reached out to the airline for details.
Context and comparisons emerged quickly from other turbulence-related incidents in recent years. In July, 18 people were hospitalized after a Delta Air Lines flight bound for Europe encountered severe turbulence over Wyoming, with passengers and crew unbuckled at the time of the jolt, according to The Sun. In what authorities described as one of the most serious turbulence episodes last year, a Singapore Airlines flight plunged about 6,000 feet, killing a 73-year-old passenger and injuring more than 30 others.
A 2023 study found climate change is exacerbating turbulence around the globe, with the North Atlantic—one of the busiest flight routes—seeing the total annual duration of severe turbulence increase significantly between 1979 and 2020, contributing to rising safety concerns as air travel rebounds post-pandemic.
Investigators are expected to review meteorological records and flight data to understand the exact conditions that produced the disruption, though the full extent of injuries on the Ryanair flight remained unclear.
The episode underscores ongoing safety considerations as airlines contend with more variable weather patterns and crowded airspace, prompting renewed emphasis on seat-belt use and cabin safety practices during descent and approach.
