Several passengers and members of the cabin crew were injured during a Eurowings flight on the route Rhodes – Cologne, after the plane encountered strong turbulence over the airspace of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The incident happened on May 30.
According to the available information, the Airbus A320-200 was about 32 kilometers east of Sarajevo at an altitude of approximately 10,970 meters when it received air traffic control approval for further climbing. In the same area and at a slightly higher altitude, there was an Airbus A380-800 of the Emirates company, which was flying on the route Dubai – London, which further complicated the situation in the airspace.
During the climbing maneuver, the Eurowings crew aborted the ascent and abruptly returned to a lower altitude, with the plane reportedly descending at a speed of up to 900 meters per minute. At that moment there was a combination of atmospheric turbulence and the so-called wake turbulence, created by large planes, which led to a strong shaking in the cabin.
Several passengers and a stewardess were slightly injured in the incident, and the plane continued its flight to Cologne, where the injured were treated by medical teams. After landing, the aircraft was temporarily withdrawn from traffic for inspection, after which it was returned to regular operating mode.
The Civil Aviation Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHANSA) also announced the incident, which confirmed that an official investigation is underway. BHANSA stated that all relevant data is being collected and that it is still too early to draw any conclusions about the causes of the incident or possible responsibility.
“We would like to emphasize that the initiation of the investigation procedure is a standard procedure in such situations and does not imply that an error of any participant in the system has been established. The purpose of the investigation is to establish the facts, understand the circumstances of the event and further improve the safety of air traffic, which still remains at an extremely high level of safety,” BHANSA emphasized for Fena.
