Eurowings A320 Hits Severe Wake Turbulence Behind Emirates A380 Near Sarajevo

A Eurowings Airbus A320-200 experienced a significant wake turbulence event while flying through Bosnian airspace, leaving several people onboard injured after the aircraft encountered disturbed air generated by an Emirates Airbus A380.

The incident occurred on Eurowings flight EW635 from Rhodes, Greece, to Cologne, Germany. According to reports, the aircraft was climbing to a higher cruising altitude near Sarajevo when it encountered strong turbulence linked to an Emirates A380 operating a flight from Dubai to London Heathrow.

The Eurowings A320, registered D-AEWS, was cruising at 36,000 feet when air traffic control authorized a climb to Flight Level 380. At the same time, the Emirates A380, registered A6-EUF, was already flying at that altitude several nautical miles ahead of the Eurowings aircraft.

As the A320 climbed through the flight levels, it entered an area affected by the A380’s wake vortex. The resulting turbulence caused a sudden upset, forcing the aircraft to stop its climb and briefly lose altitude before the crew regained control and stabilized the flight.

Despite the incident, the aircraft continued safely to Cologne, where emergency medical personnel were on standby upon arrival. Reports indicate that four passengers and one member of the cabin crew sustained injuries during the turbulence encounter.

Wake turbulence is created by the powerful wingtip vortices generated by aircraft, particularly large types such as the Airbus A380. These invisible air disturbances can remain in the atmosphere for several minutes and pose a hazard to smaller aircraft operating nearby.

Authorities are expected to review the event as part of standard aviation safety procedures to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the encounter.