Several passengers on a Ryanair flight travelling from Birmingham to Tenerife were injured after the aircraft encountered turbulence shortly after takeoff, forcing it to return to the UK.
Ryanair said in a statement to Business Insider that flight FR1121, which departed Birmingham Airport on Sunday, turned back “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,” the airline said. The flight later resumed its journey to Tenerife, departing again at 9:06 p.m. local time, it added.
Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 shows the Boeing 737 Max departed Birmingham at about 3:05 p.m. on December 28, about 15 minutes later than its scheduled departure time.
The flight-tracking website said in a post on X on Monday that the aircraft squawked 7700 as it returned to Birmingham. The transponder code is a general emergency signal used by pilots to alert air-traffic controllers that the plane requires immediate assistance.
The aircraft also descended to about 10,000 feet during the diversion back to Birmingham, according to Flightradar24. Flightradar24 said on X that such a descent “often indicates an aircraft pressurization issue.”
Ryanair did not respond to Business Insider’s questions about the number of passengers who required medical assistance, when the turbulence occurred, or the procedures followed on board.
The incident adds to a growing list of turbulence-related disruptions this year, as the climate crisis increases the risk of turbulence.
A Delta Air Lines plane was hit by “significant” turbulence while flying over Wyoming in July, injuring 25 people, the airline said.
Aviation experts have warned that turbulence can appear suddenly and can pose risks to passengers who are not seated or wearing seatbelts.
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