Chaos in the sky over Sarajevo: Plane hit by turbulence, flight attendant thrown to ceiling

A Eurowings flight experienced severe turbulence over Bosnia and Herzegovina, resulting in injuries to five individuals, including a flight attendant. The incident occurred on May 30 aboard flight EW635 traveling from Rhodes to Cologne.

The Airbus A320 was at an altitude of approximately 10,970 meters when it suddenly lost altitude after entering an area of turbulence. Reports suggest this disturbance was caused by the wake vortex of an Emirates Airbus A380, a significantly larger aircraft, flying about 14 kilometers ahead on a Dubai-London route.

During the encounter with the turbulence, four passengers and one flight attendant sustained minor injuries. The flight attendant was reportedly thrown towards the cabin ceiling by the force of the impact. The crew continued the flight to Cologne, where medical teams met the passengers upon landing. The injured were treated and transported to a hospital.

Investigators have retrieved the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder for analysis. While the distance between the two aircraft exceeded the minimum separation standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the investigation will examine whether the wake turbulence from the massive A380 was indeed the cause. Experts note that the A380's size generates powerful vortices that can persist for minutes, posing a risk to smaller aircraft on similar flight paths. Similar incidents involving A380 wake turbulence have been recorded previously, highlighting the potential dangers even when separation guidelines are met.