Ryanair 737 MAX Hits Severe Turbulence, Forcing Emergency Return to Birmingham

December 30, 2025 at 06:21 AM•2 min read

Ryanair flight FR1121 from Birmingham to Tenerife returned after severe turbulence injured several passengers, highlighting the risk of unbelted movement.

Key Points

1Ryanair flight FR1121 encountered severe turbulence over French airspace on December 28, 2025, forcing an emergency return to Birmingham.
2The Boeing 737 MAX crew declared a general emergency (squawk 7700) and landed safely after multiple passengers were injured.
3Turbulence remains the leading cause of non-fatal accidents for commercial air carriers in the US, accounting for 36% of accidents from 2008–2022.

Ryanair flight FR1121 experienced severe in-flight turbulence on December 28, 2025. The aircraft was traveling from Birmingham to Tenerife flight (BHX-TFS). This unexpected event forced the Ryanair flight turbulence injuries incident to return to the departure airport. The Boeing 737 MAX turbulence encounter happened over French airspace.

Key Details of the Incident

The Ryanair Boeing 737 MAX 8200 was cruising at 35,000 feet. Cabin service was reportedly underway when the turbulence began. Passengers described violent, sudden lateral movements. Several unsecured passengers injured themselves after being thrown from their seats. The flight crew quickly declared a general emergency. They activated the squawk 7700 emergency signal to air traffic control. The pilots then executed an immediate return to Birmingham Airport.

The aircraft landed safely approximately 90 minutes after departure. Emergency services met the plane at a remote stand. A small number of passengers received medical assistance on the ground. The airline later deployed a replacement aircraft. This allowed the passengers to continue their journey to Tenerife South.

Turbulence Risk and Safety Protocols

This incident highlights the persistent risk of clear air turbulence risk. Such events are often invisible to standard weather radar. The FAA notes that turbulence is the leading cause of non-fatal accidents. From 2008 through 2022, turbulence accounted for 36% of all Part 121 air carrier accidents. This makes it a major focus in commercial aviation news update.

Aviation safety bodies stress the need for passenger safety protocols. The FAA [https://www.faa.gov] and EASA [https://www.easa.europa.eu] consistently advise passengers to keep seatbelts fastened. This is true even when the seatbelt sign is off. Unsecured passengers face the highest risk of injury during sudden turbulence. The use of the emergency transponder code 7700 ensured a rapid ground response. This is standard procedure for in-flight injuries.

The Boeing 737 MAX airframe performed as designed. The crew followed established procedures for a critical in-flight situation. This quick action minimized the overall risk. The FAA continues to sponsor research into turbulence mitigation. This effort aims to reduce rerouting and improve safety. For more on global aviation safety, visit our aviation news hub. [https://flying.flights]