‘Our skies are becoming bumpier’: Climate change blamed as Ryanair flight causes 9 injuries

A Ryanair flight traveling from Berlin to Milan was forced to make an emergency landing in southern Germany on June 4, 2025, after hitting severe turbulence that injured nine passengers. The incident involving flight FR8 points to a bigger issue in the aviation industry: turbulence is becoming more frequent and intense, and experts say climate change is to blame.

The Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, which was operating as flight FR8, encountered severe turbulence while flying over Germany. The sudden and violent shaking led the pilot to divert and make an emergency landing at Memmingen Airport, about 115 kilometers west of Munich. Among the injured passengers were a woman and her two-year-old child; the child suffered a head injury, while the mother had bruises. A 59-year-old woman also suffered back pain serious enough to require hospital treatment.

According to CNN, Six other passengers were treated for minor injuries at the airport. The turbulence was so sudden that many passengers were caught off guard. The seatbelt signs were not on then, leaving several people unbuckled when the shaking began. One particularly upsetting report described a mother and her young child who were leaving the bathroom when the turbulence struck.

Climate change blamed as culprit in rough plane rides

Ryanair responded quickly, arranging for all passengers to reach their final destination in Milan that same night. A replacement flight was also scheduled for the next morning. At first, the airline considered transporting passengers by bus due to temporary restrictions from local aviation authorities, but they ultimately chose a faster solution to get everyone to Milan. Ryanair acknowledged the incident and apologized for the trouble and distress caused to passengers.

This incident is not an isolated case. Research shows that climate change is playing a major role in the increase in air turbulence. Studies from 2024 estimated that there are over 63,000 cases of moderate or worse turbulence each year and a shocking 5,000 cases of severe or worse turbulence. These numbers show a sharp rise in dangerous air conditions, creating a greater risk for passengers and aircraft.

Additionally, there has been a noticeable increase in clear-air turbulence, especially over East Asia, which has been directly tied to human-caused climate change. This trend is expected to get worse as global warming continues, affecting the altitudes where planes typically cruise.

We’ve heard of terrible things happening on airplanes, and while some are funny, this was a pretty bad incident. The Ryanair incident follows a pattern seen in other recent events. In December 2024, an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 flight (AS 700) from Seattle to Phoenix hit severe turbulence, sending four crew members to the hospital and injuring one passenger. So, at this point, we’re just blaming climate change.