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An Austrian Airlines flight from Spain to Vienna encountered severe hail damage on Sunday afternoon, prompting an emergency landing. The aircraft, an Airbus A320, sustained significant damage, including shattered cockpit windows and a torn-off nose cone, after flying into an intense hailstorm.
Passengers recounted the harrowing experience, describing how the plane rocked violently as hail pounded the aircraft. Emmeley Oakley, one of the passengers, told ABC News that the turbulence started about 20 minutes before landing, causing panic among some travelers. She commended the cabin crew for their efforts in calming the situation.
Despite the damage, no passengers were injured. Austrian Airlines explained that the thunderstorm was not visible on the weather radar. Images circulated online revealed the extent of the damage, with heavy cracks across the windscreen and the nose cone almost entirely missing.
Another passenger, Manuel H., shared with the Kronen-Zeitung newspaper that he saw parts of the nose cone flying past the plane during the incident. An Austrian Airlines spokesperson confirmed that a technical team is assessing the damage, which includes the cockpit windows and the aircraft’s radome.
This incident follows a recent tragedy where a 73-year-old British man died during turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight. In that case, the airline offered compensation to the injured passengers, with further financial assistance for those with serious injuries.
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