At least 36 people have been injured by turbulence during a Hawaiian Airlines flight from Phoenix to Honolulu on Sunday.
Of those injured, 20 have been taken to medical facilities, while 11 of them were in serious condition, according to medical services.
Heavy turbulence, which occurred 30 minutes before landing, caused passengers to fly out of their seats.
The medical staff treated patients from 14 months old to adults with head injuries, cuts, bruises, nausea and loss of consciousness.
The company has indicated that the aircraft landed «safely» in Honolulu at 10.50 a.m. (local time). «Medical attention was provided to several guests and crew members at the airport for minor injuries, while some were quickly transported to local hospitals for additional care,» Hawaiian Airlines has communicated via its Twitter profile.
The airline also noted that it is «supporting all affected passengers and employees and we will continue to monitor the situation.»
Hawaiian Air executive vice president Jon Snook has stated that the seatbelt was fastened at the time of the incident. In addition, three workers are among the injured, reports Hawaii News Now.
«Sometimes these airbags happen without warning. It’s rare to have that level of extreme turbulence. It was a very extreme case of turbulence in the air,» he added before adding that they are grateful «that the extent of the injuries was not critical.»
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
