Student injured in Ryanair depressurization settles €15,000 – The Irish Times

Judge Mary Morrissey of the Circuit Civil Court today accepted a settlement offer of €15,000 for a 13-year-old schoolgirl from Cork who was injured when a Ryanair plane suddenly depressurised en route to Croatia.

Lawyer James Daly told the court that oxygen masks were used following a sudden depressurisation of the passenger cabin and that Gabriela Gaspar, who was only seven years old at the time, was in great distress and fear.

“The aircraft began to shake violently and descend rapidly and the cabin was dark and very cold,” said Mr Daly, who appeared with Alva Nolan of Gary Matthews Solicitors.

He said Gabriela’s mother Monika frightened her daughter and repeatedly tried to take off the mask. She turned pale and cried.

“The plane continued to descend rapidly and made an extremely violent emergency landing in Frankfurt, Germany,” Mr Daly said. “Medics entered the plane to administer first aid while passengers, who were distressed and bleeding from their ears and noses, were instructed to remain in their seats,” he added.

Judge Morrissey heard that Monika, whose family lives at Douglas Hall Mews, Skehard Road, Cork, had to wait 11 hours with other passengers for another plane to take them on their onward journey to Zadar Airport in Croatia.

“Monika was terrified as she boarded the second plane again and she kicked and screamed as her mother helped her on board,” Mr Daly said.

The court heard that Monika continued to suffer nosebleeds, headaches and nightmares in the weeks following the incident, and 18 months after the incident she had persistent nightmares and regularly woke up screaming.

Mr Daly said Monika was particularly at risk as she suffers from asthma and had suffered an attack when her mother put an oxygen mask on her.

Judge Morrissey agreed to the settlement offer and said Monika had had a very frightening experience.