Medics in full hazmat suits rushed onto a Eurowings plane in Germany after a suspected norovirus outbreak caused passengers to vomit violently mid-flight.
Nathalie Gombik, 28, a bartender who was aboard Eurowings Flight 9631, filmed the dramatic scene on the runway at Düsseldorf Airport on Sunday evening. The cabin crew had requested a priority landing after multiple travelers became ill not long after takeoff from the Greek island of Rhodes.
“I know for certain that three passengers were affected, but it appeared that approximately three more were also experiencing symptoms. Some passengers were vomiting during the flight,” Gombik told NeedToKnow.
“Seeing so many ambulances and emergency personnel in protective clothing after landing was quite shocking,” she said.
Emergency services were already waiting when the aircraft touched down. Health workers in white protective gear boarded the plane while it sat on the tarmac, footage shows. Passengers were held on board for roughly 90 minutes before being permitted to disembark.
“The flight attendants remained calm, composed, and discreet throughout the incident. As passengers, we barely noticed the extent of what was happening behind the scenes,” Gombik said.
“At the time, we had no idea that a mass casualty incident had reportedly been declared, that numerous ambulances had been mobilized, or that our aircraft had reportedly been given priority for landing,” she continued.
At least three passengers were hospitalized with suspected norovirus. Gombik herself began suffering the same symptoms on Tuesday, days after the flight had landed.
The illnesses are believed tied to a broader norovirus outbreak on Rhodes that began in July. Greek newspaper Kathimerini reported that more than 1,400 patients with suspected symptoms had been treated at Rhodes Hospital since Aug. 10, with total cases since mid-July reaching approximately 1,800. The actual figure is likely higher, as that count excludes patients seen by private doctors and those who never sought hospital care.
Eurowings confirmed the incident in a statement. “We can confirm that several guests on Eurowings flight EW9631 from Rhodes to Dusseldorf on 18 October 2026 felt very unwell during the flight,” the airline said.
“The flight crew therefore requested a priority landing at Dusseldorf Airport. After landing, medical staff examined and cared for three affected guests on site. As a precaution, these guests went to hospital. All other guests continued their journeys home as normal,” the statement went on.
“There were 212 guests and seven crew members on board. The cause of the symptoms is unclear and is being looked into. The safety and health of our guests and crews is always Eurowings’ top priority,” the airline added.
Eurowings said it is investigating what caused the sudden illnesses aboard the Sunday evening service.