Terrifying video shows passenger jet rocking from side to side before thudding into runway and another aborting landing during storm on Greek holiday island
Planes arriving on the Greek island of Rhodes struggled to touchdown over the weekend, as strong winds rocked aircrafts from side to side, while another jet was forced to abort its landing.
Terrifying footage shared on social media platform TikTok shows the moment one plane thudded into the runway on Saturday at Rhodes International Airport after gales violently jolted the passenger jet.
A separate video shows how a Lauda Air flight descending on the Greek holiday hotspot was forced to abort its landing after attempting to touchdown due to the extreme winds driven by a fierce storm.
Widespread travel chaos hit Greece over the weekend as a result of the severe winds.
Photos from inside Rhodes airport shared on social media showed dozens of exhausted passengers sitting on the floor as they faced flight cancellations.
One flight from Brussels to Rhodes was diverted to Athens due to the dangerous weather conditions, news outlet Avaitation24 reported.
Elsewhere in Crete, crosswinds forced mass delays at Heraklion Airport as pilots struggled to land safely.
According to the Hellenic National Meteorological Service, Greece's national weather authority, a severe northeasterly weather front origination from the Tunisian coast moved into the eastern Mediterranean.
It comes as Paris Orly Airport was plunged into chaos over the weekend after the breakdown of a control tower, forcing the cancellation of 130 flights.
Thousands of passengers were left scrambling for alternative travel routes on Sunday after the airport suffered a 'failure in their air traffic control systems,' according to officials.
A spokesman for Aeroports de Paris, which operates the French capital's second busiest airport, said about 40 percent of the day's departures and arrivals had been called off.
Passengers hoping to travel to destinations including Spain, Italy, Austria and Germany were left stranded after experiencing flight cancellations, while others endured lengthy delays.
France's DGAC civil aviation authority blamed the 'significant' reduction in flight numbers on 'a failure of the air traffic control systems' that had taken place at the Orly tower early yesterday afternoon.
Meanwhile, an aviation source revealed that the chaos at the travel hub had been caused by a radar breakdown.
The airport spokesman said about half of the 130 cancelled flights were departures, while half had been incoming flights.
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The Independent
6 hours ago
- The Independent
Tourist in Rhodes describes ‘whole hotel shaking' as earthquake struck
Tourists have described their hotels shaking after a magnitude 5.8 earthquake hit western Turkey and nearby Greek islands on Tuesday morning. The earthquake which hit the Turkish resort town of Marmaris at 2.17am has left one person dead and at least 69 injured. It was felt in neighbouring regions, including on the Greek island of Rhodes, waking many from their sleep. Matthew McCormick, a father of two from Belfast, was on holiday with his family in Rhodes when he was woken up by a loud rumbling noise. 'We got to bed and had just fallen over to sleep and the next thing there was just this loud, rumbling noise,' Mr McCormick, 35, told the PA news agency. 'And then the next minute, the whole hotel was just shaking. 'It was very surreal, it woke me and my wife up and my first concern was for the four-year-old beside us. 'She woke up and she started to cry. 'She was terrified – I think for us at that point, it was just trying to make sure she was OK. 'I tried to have a look at the roof, and it didn't look like there were any cracks or anything appearing in the roof. 'I figured that we were safe enough.' Mr McCormick, who is heading home to Belfast on Tuesday, said he was initially concerned about a bombing attack when he first woke up but soon discovered it was a natural disaster. 'My gut feeling was either there's been bombs landing somewhere or it's an earthquake,' he said. 'Given some of the current global politics there was a slight fear that something had kicked off here overnight.' Despite the shaking and disturbance overnight Mr McCormick reported no signs of visible damage and calm seas on Tuesday afternoon. Turkish interior minister Ali Yerlikaya said on X that a 14-year-old girl was taken to hospital and died there after what he said was an anxiety attack. It was not known if she had any underlying conditions. At least 69 other people were treated for injuries after jumping from windows or balconies in panic, he said, but there were no reports of damage to buildings. Salem Swan, a 25-year-old carer from Sunderland who is on holiday in Bodrum in western Turkey, also felt her hotel shaking. 'The earthquake wasn't that strong where we are in Bodrum, we are about 164km from Marmaris where the earthquake hit,' she told PA. 'There was some shaking around 2.15am for us but it only lasted for maybe 30 seconds to a minute here so it was over quite quick. 'None of the buildings here were affected as far as I know but we have had a leak in our accommodation bathroom which we are under the impression the earthquake potentially had caused.' Turkey sits on top of major fault lines and earthquakes are frequent. In 2023, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake killed more than 53,000 people in Turkey and destroyed or damaged hundreds of thousands of buildings in 11 southern and southeastern provinces. Another 6,000 people were killed in the northern parts of neighbouring Syria. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is not advising against travel to either western Turkey or the Greek islands at present.
Telegraph
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Find your Elysium at this history-inspired hotel for all seasons
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The Sun
9 hours ago
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Is it safe to travel to Rhodes and Turkey? Earthquake expert shares advice for holidaymakers
Nuria Cremer-Vazquez, SEO Editor Published: Invalid Date, TOURISTS in popular holiday destinations in Greece and Turkey were shaken by a 5.8 magnitude earthquake this morning. The quake struck just after 2am local time off the Turkish coast, with the epicentre 29km north of the island of Rhodes. Around 70 people were injured in Southwest Turkey and a 14-year-old girl is known to have died due to a panic attack in the resort town of Fethiye. 2025 has seen the Greek islands experience significant seismic activity - with multiple earthquakes rattling Santorini back in February causing tourists to flee and a 6.1 magnitude tremor hitting Crete on May 14. Turkey also shook in April when powerful tremors hit Istanbul. With the summer season in full swing, is it safe to travel to the region? Dr Margarita Segou - a seismologist with the British Geological Survey and editor-in-chief of Geophysical Journal International - is an earthquake expert and Greek national. She said: " Greece and Turkey are two very high seismic-prone countries." The countries' locations on a fault line known as the Hellenic Trench mean that they have seen large magnitude earthquakes, such as the 2023 Turkey disaster which left 53,000 people dead. However, speaking of the more recent tremors, she said: "Those magnitudes are well within the standard for moderate earthquakes in this region." Dr Segou explains that as today's quake occurred at a depth of more than 70km, it would be classed as a "deep earthquake", which is not necessarily more dangerous. "Since the earthquake is deep, we have less damage than usual, although it means that it is felt in a wider area. "Also the probability of a large earthquake immediately after is only heightened for a few days." The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)'s travel advice for Greece states: "The area around the Cycladic islands of Santorini (Thira), Anafi, Ios and Amorgos, experienced increased earthquake activity in early 2025. This increase has since subsided and the tourist season is expected to continue as usual." It does not advise against travel to the area and references February's earthquakes in Santorini - something Dr Segou admitted had been "an alarming phenomenon". However, she does not believe that the today's quake warrants cause for concern for anyone planning to travel to Greece or Turkey. 3 "I would not say that we are now facing a situation of increased activity within 2025." Dr Segou revealed the steps holidaymakers should take if they do find themselves experiencing the natural phenomenon. "Tourists and populations should always follow the guidance from the authorities regarding any emerging situations. "If you feel an earthquake, it is better to be outside of the building a few minutes after. But during the strong shaking, one should always take cover beneath a very strong, well-built table, for example." She added that buildings in the region are well-prepared for these natural events and reasonably safe even if a moderate earthquake hits. "Greece has a very strict seismic code and it is always abided by in construction. "The earthquake resistance plan for buildings is something that has proven correct and protective to people many times in previous disasters." The Foreign Office provides further tips for visitors to both countries, including calling 112 for Greek emergency services and checking Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority's earthquake website. Travel company TUI issued the following statement to those holidaying in the affected area: "Please remain calm and follow any safety instructions provided by your accommodation or local officials." EasyJet also confirmed that its customers had experienced minimal impact to their holidays. If you are considering cancelling your trip to Greece or Turkey, bear in mind that as the FCDO has not formally advised against travel there is no guarantee that you will be refunded. Flights to and from both Rhodes and Dalaman airports are operating as usual with no disruption having been caused by the earthquake. 3
