Italy’s civil aviation authority has launched an investigation into a turbulence incident that severely injured two easyJet flight attendants.
The incident occurred on August 19, 2024. According to reports from local media, the turbulence was so severe that it led to one flight attendant breaking her leg and another to severely spraining her ankle.
Italy’s aviation authority launched a safety investigation following the incident. It will examine whether the incident was unforeseen or else detected on weather radars, but therefore underestimated.
“The safety and well-being of our customers and crew are easyJet’s top priority and our pilots are trained to manage turbulence”, an easyjet spokesperson commented after the incident.
What happened on the U2-8210 flight?
On August 19, 2024, an easyJet flight U2-8210 was traveling from Corfu (CFU) to London Gatwick (LGW). The flight was operated by an Airbus A320-214 aircraft. There were 181 passengers and six crew members on board the flight.
Italy’s National Agency for Flight Safety (ANSV) reported that the incident occurred shortly after the aircraft entered Italian airspace. The turbulence began at 13:01 local time as the aircraft reached an altitude of about 28,000 feet (8,588 meters).
At that time, two flight attendants, preparing to serve food to the passengers, were thrown against the cabin walls and severely injured. There are no reports of any passenger injuries.
After the incident the aircraft was diverted to Rome’s Fiumicino Airport (FCO), where the injured crew members received medical attention. The flight landed safely at FCO Airport at 13:48 local time. According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, the aircraft remained in Rome and has not yet resumed operations.
Another aircraft was sent to pick up the distressed passengers, who eventually arrived in London that same day. The carrier has refused to disclose if the injured crew members returned to Gatwick with the other passengers.