Eleven people were seriously injured after severe turbulence rocked a Hawaiian Airlines flight from Phoenix to Honolulu on Sunday.
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The Airbus A330 was carrying 278 passengers and 10 crew members at the height of 36,000 feet when it encountered severe turbulence while approaching the island, a spokesperson told Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
At least three dozen people were injured, in what an airlines official called an “isolated and unusual event”. Three flight attendants were among the injured in the incident that took place about half an hour prior to the landing.
A video filmed shortly after the plane’s touch-down showed the cabin in disarray with personal belongings and other objects strewn across the aisle and passengers wearing oxygen masks.
The cabin crew could also be heard on the loudspeaker requesting the support of medical personnel onboard to help with the injured.
The airline hasn’t experienced “an incident of this nature in recent history”, said Jon Snook, chief operating officer. He added that while the airline was familiar with the weather forecast, there was no warning that "particular patch of air... was in any way dangerous".
Emergency responders treated 36 patients, who had a number of injuries ranging from nausea to minor bruises, said Jim Ireland, director of the Honolulu Emergency Medical Services. While 20 people were taken to the hospital, nine were in a stable condition with injuries ranging from lacerations, bruising and loss of consciousness, reported the outlet.
At least one person was reported to have been rendered unconscious but all patients were awake and talking when they reached the hospital, Mr Ireland said, adding that some people were also nauseous and vomiting due to the extreme motion.
About 11 people were deemed to be in a serious condition. “We are also very happy and we feel fortunate that there were not any deaths or other critical injuries. And we’re also very hopeful that all will recover and make a full recovery," he said. ■