A commercial aircraft traveling from Prague was forced to make an unscheduled landing at Paphos Airport on Sunday afternoon after adverse weather conditions rendered it impossible to touch down at its intended destination, Larnaca International Airport. The incident, resulting in a two-hour delay for passengers, was a direct consequence of a powerful low-pressure system, designated ADEL, which enveloped Cyprus in dense fog, heavy thunderstorms, and strong winds. The disruption underscores the significant impact of extreme weather on regional air travel.
The broader context for the diversion was a severe barometric low that settled over the Eastern Mediterranean, active from Saturday night through much of Sunday. The Cyprus Meteorology Department had issued a formal yellow weather warning for the entire island, anticipating hazardous conditions including torrential rain, winds strengthening to force five, and the potential for hail and sleet. Meteorological officials indicated that the most intense phase of the storm was projected to occur between late Saturday evening and Sunday late afternoon, with rainfall rates in thunderstorms reaching between 35 and 55 millimetres per hour.
According to the sequence of events, the affected flight approached Larnaca as scheduled but was met with critically low visibility caused by dense fog blanketing the airfield. After holding for approximately thirty minutes in a holding pattern above the airport, the pilot made the decision to abort the landing attempt. The aircraft was subsequently rerouted to Paphos Airport on the western coast, which was experiencing less severe conditions at the time. Upon landing in Paphos, the aircraft was refuelled in preparation for the final leg of the journey once clearance was granted.
The flight eventually arrived at Larnaca International Airport around 4:00 PM local time, a full two hours behind its original schedule. While the immediate inconvenience was contained to a single flight and its passengers, the incident highlighted the operational challenges airports face during volatile weather episodes. The necessity for an alternate landing, refuelling, and subsequent repositioning flight entails logistical complexities and additional costs for airlines, not to mention the ripple effects on airport scheduling and ground handling services.
Looking ahead, the Cyprus Meteorology Department forecast that the unsettled weather would persist, with isolated showers expected to continue into Monday and Tuesday. Such prolonged conditions keep the potential for further travel disruptions in play. This event serves as a reminder of aviation's vulnerability to meteorological forces and the critical role of advanced warning systems in ensuring passenger safety, even when such precautions inevitably lead to delays and diversions.