Ryanair Plane Fire Majorca: 18 Injured in False Alarm Panic

A false fire alarm on a Ryanair flight about to leave Palma de Mallorca sent 18 passengers to medical assistance — six to hospital — after panicked travellers leapt from the aircraft wing onto the tarmac. The aircraft, a Boeing 737-8AS registered G-RUKN, triggered an engine fire warning that proved groundless; firefighters and Civil Guard confirmed no fire at the scene.

Injured: 18 · Hospitalised: 6 · Date: July 5, 2025 · Location: Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI) · Aircraft: G-RUKN

The incident at Palma de Mallorca Airport produced a stark contrast: zero fire, 18 injuries, and an airline playing down the fallout while passengers described broken bones from wing jumps.

How many people died in the Ryanair crash?

No one died in the Majorca incident. The Ryanair flight that triggered a fire alert at Palma de Mallorca Airport on July 5, 2025 resulted in 18 injuries but zero fatalities. Authorities confirmed it was a false alarm — firefighters and Civil Guard personnel found no fire after arriving on the tarmac.

Ryanair Flight 4102 details

The aircraft involved was Boeing 737-8AS registered G-RUKN. The flight was preparing for departure from Palma to Manchester when the false fire warning activated. Ryanair described it as a “false fire warning light indication,” with passengers disembarked via inflatable slides before some opted to leave via the wing, roughly a 10-foot drop to the tarmac.

“This flight from Palma to Manchester (4 July) discontinued take-off due to a false fire warning light indication. We sincerely apologise to affected passengers for any inconvenience caused.”

— Ryanair statement, BreakingNews.ie

“We received an alert about a fire on a plane on the ground at Palma airport at 00.36am today. Eighteen people were injured and received medical assistance of whom six were taken to hospital. They were all minor.”

— Regional emergency response spokesman, ITV News

Ryanair has not recorded a fatal accident on a commercial passenger flight in its operating history, a safety record that the airline frequently highlights. The Majorca incident, while disruptive, reinforces the distinction between a technical malfunction and an actual safety catastrophe.

What is Ryanair’s 40 minute rule?

Ryanair’s 40-minute rule refers to the airline’s strict online check-in closure window. Passengers must complete online check-in between 4 days and 2 hours before their scheduled departure. After the 2-hour mark, the online check-in facility shuts — a policy that has generated complaints from travellers who miss the deadline.

The airline tightened this policy following EU border control incidents where passengers arrived at airports without proper documentation. Ryanair’s position is that this strict cutoff reduces airport crowding and speeds up the boarding process. Critics argue the narrow window creates anxiety for passengers with inconsistent internet access or unexpected travel disruptions.

Why does the Ryanair seat 11a have no window?

Seat 11A on certain Ryanair Boeing 737 aircraft falls in a section where the fuselage curvature reduces window alignment. Rather than a superstition or design flaw, it’s a consequence of the specific cabin layout Ryanair uses to maximise seat density — the airline fits 189 seats into a standard 737-800, and some window positions end up between rows.

Reasons to avoid seat 11A

• No direct window view for in-flight scenery
• Proximity to the exit row means more foot traffic during boarding
• Standard pitch applies — no extra legroom at this position

Travellers who prioritise natural light or window views generally fare better selecting rows further forward or at the rear, where the oval fuselage shape places windows more consistently centred over seats.

Why is there no Row 13 on Ryanair planes?

Row 13 is absent on Ryanair’s Boeing 737 fleet — and on many other airlines worldwide — due to superstitions rooted in Western cultural associations with the number 13. Airlines have historically omitted this row on commercial aircraft for the same reason many buildings skip a 13th floor.

Ryanair’s configuration skips directly from Row 12 to Row 14. The superstition around 13 is strong enough in passenger aviation that its removal is considered a minor passenger experience win, even if rationally the row number has no impact on flight safety. Ryanair also omits Row 1 in some configurations for similar superstitious or seat-spacing reasons.

What caused the Ryanair plane fire alarm at Majorca?

The exact cause of the false fire warning light on the Ryanair flight at Palma de Mallorca remains under investigation. Ryanair described the trigger as a “false fire warning light indication” with no fire present upon inspection. The Civil Guard has opened an inquiry to determine the technical source of the alert.

Evacuation sequence

The emergency alert was received at 00:36am on July 5, 2025. Four ambulances — two basic life support and two advanced life support — were dispatched alongside the AENA fire brigade. Passengers exited primarily via inflatable slides, though some passengers reportedly left via the wing after hearing a bang and panicking.

Injury details

Eighteen passengers sought medical assistance, with six requiring hospital transport. Three were taken to Clinica Rotger and three to Quirónsalud Palmaplanas Hospital. Ryanair characterised the injuries as “very minor” like ankle sprains, though some passenger reports — according to Travel Noire passenger accounts — mentioned broken bones from wing jumps, a discrepancy between the airline’s public framing and individual passenger accounts.

The implication: multiple passengers required hospital transport to two separate clinics, suggesting injuries beyond the minor sprains Ryanair publicly described.

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This Majorca incident echoes similar disruptions, like the recent Auckland Airport fire alarm evacuation that forced back-to-back terminal clearances and halted flights for hours.

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