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At least 36 people have been injured after a US plane suffered severe turbulence – with health bosses saying they’re grateful no one died.
Eleven people were seriously injured in the terrifying incident onboard a Hawaiian Airlines flight from Phoenix, Arizona, to Honolulu in Hawaii.
Twenty were taken to hospital, including a 14-month old, a teenager and three crew members.
At least one person was reportedly knocked unconscious in the ‘isolated and unusual event’ on the Airbus A330-200. All patients were conscious when they arrived at the hospital.
People suffered cuts, including to the head, as well as bumps and bruises.
Some were nauseous and vomited as a result of extreme motion on the packed out flight, which was carrying 278 passengers and 10 crew members.
Passenger Kaylee Reyes told Hawaii News Now that her mum ‘flew up and hit the ceiling’.
One person was reportedly knocked unconscious (Picture: Courtesy of Jazmin Bitanga via AP)
The plane was damaged in the terrifying incident (Picture: Courtesy of Jazmin Bitanga via AP)
She had just sat down when the turbulence hit and didn’t have an opportunity to buckle her safety belt.
Crew declared an emergency and the pilot began descent immediately, with air traffic controllers giving the jet priority landing.
The unsettling incident came following a weather advisory for thunderstorms that included Oahu and areas that would have included the flight path at the time of the incident.
The airline was aware of the weather forecast and the unstable air and weather conditions, Jon Snook, the airline’s chief operating officer, said.
But the company had no warning the particular patch of air where the turbulence occurred ‘was in any way dangerous’, he added.
The seat belt sign was on at the time but an unspecified number of passengers were not wearing them.
Mr Snook said Hawaiian Airlines has not experienced ‘an incident of this nature in recent history’.
The director of Honolulu Emergency Medical Services, Jim Ireland, added: ‘We feel fortunate that there were not any deaths or other critical injuries.
People onboard suffered cuts, including to the head (Picture: Courtesy of Jazmin Bitanga via AP)
One passenger said her mother ‘flew up and hit the ceiling’ (Picture: Courtesy of Jazmin Bitanga via AP)
‘And we’re also very hopeful that all will recover and make a full recovery.’
The plane was damaged during the incident and will undergo an inspection and maintenance.
An investigation involving the National Transportation Safety Board has been launched
It’s currently unknown how much altitude the plane lost during the turbulence.
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Health bosses say they’re grateful no one died.
