Flight To Nowhere: 137 Passengers Land Back At Starting Point After 32-Hour Journey
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Powerful winds severely hampered the aircraft's landing, forcing the pilot to circle for an extended period.
A routine flight from Switzerland to Greece turned into a 32-hour odyssey of diversions and delays, ultimately landing 137 passengers back at their point of departure. The Condor flight, originally bound for Crete, was repeatedly thwarted by severe weather.
The incident unfolded on May 24 when Condor flight DE1234 departed Zurich, Switzerland, for Heraklion in Crete, Greece. Though running 30 minutes late, the journey initially seemed smooth. After two hours, the aircraft began its initial descent towards the Greek island, as reported by the New York Post.
Powerful winds severely hampered the aircraft's landing, forcing the pilot to circle for an extended period. A decision was then made to divert to Athens for refueling, where the plane touched down three hours after its initial departure from Zurich.
Approximately two and a half hours later, the pilot attempted a second landing in Heraklion but severe weather conditions caused the plane to circle before diverting to Kos, a nearby Greek island, for another refuel. After yet another failed attempt to reach Heraklion, the aircraft, running low on fuel, was rerouted to Thessaloniki in Greece. The crew decided this was the best place for passengers and flight attendants to spend the night. By this point, the flight had been in the air for a staggering 11 hours since leaving Zurich.
Flight's Final Return
The following day, the crew planned one last attempt to reach Crete. However, persistent strong winds once again forced the aircraft into a holding pattern after which the plane was compelled to divert to Athens for a fourth time. At this point, the crew decided to turn the aircraft back towards Zurich- returning to its original departure point a remarkable 32 hours after it had first taken off.
In a statement, Condor airline noted that 'due to extreme weather conditions and strong winds, takeoffs and landings at Heraklion Airport were only possible to a limited extent."
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Mallika Soni
When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?"
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First Published:
June 10, 2025, 23:22 IST
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