Emergency landing after turbulence injures passengers on Tenerife-bound flight
A Ryanair flight heading to Tenerife was forced to make an emergency landing after being hit by severe turbulence that injured multiple passengers mid-air, leading to a full emergency response.
The incident occurred yesterday (Sunday) on flight FR1211, which had departed from Birmingham Airport bound for Tenerife South. While cruising over French airspace near Brest, the aircraft suddenly encountered intense turbulence.
According to aviation specialists cited by Aviation Source News, the cabin crew were in the middle of on-board service when the turbulence began. Several passengers were hurt, which caused the flight crew to declare a general emergency and activate transponder code 7700, which is the internationally recognised signal indicating a critical in-flight situation.
With injuries reported on board, the aircraft immediately abandoned its route to the Canary Islands and turned back towards the UK. As it approached the English coastline, the plane descended rapidly from cruising altitude to 10,000 feet and maintained that lower level for the remainder of the flight as a safety measure.
The aircraft landed back at Birmingham Airport approximately one and a half hours after departure. Emergency crews and medical teams were already positioned on the runway to assist injured passengers as soon as the plane touched down. Authorities have not yet confirmed the extent of the injuries.
Flight tracking data shows the aircraft initially climbed to flight level FL350 and briefly ascended to FL370 after the emergency was declared, before beginning its final descent while crossing the English Channel.
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