Dozens injured as flight to Australia strikes turbulence

INTENSE turbulence struck an Air Canada flight to Australia on Thursday and sent unbuckled passengers flying into the ceiling, forcing the plane to land in Hawaii.

The flight from Vancouver to Sydney encountered “unforecasted and sudden turbulence,” about two hours past Hawaii when the plane diverted to Honolulu, Air Canada spokeswoman Angela Mah said in a statement.

“The plane just dropped,” passenger Stephanie Beam said. “When we hit turbulence, I woke up and looked over to make sure my kids were buckled. The next thing I knew there’s just literally bodies on the ceiling of the plane.”

Of the 37 passengers and flight crew members injured, nine had serious injuries, emergency responders said. Thirty people were taken to hospitals. Honolulu Emergency Medical Services Chief Dean Nakano said the injured ranged in age from children to the elderly.

Honolulu Emergency Services Department spokeswoman Shayne Enright said injuries included cuts, bumps, bruises, neck pain and back pain. More than two dozen people were taken to hospitals.

Llyn Williams was travelling with his wife Erica Daly back to their home in Sydney. His wife was injured and taken to the hospital. He said when they hit the violent turbulence, “everybody who was not seated and belted in hit the roof, almost everybody in our cabin”.

Mr Williams described the cabin afterwards as frightening, with plastic lying around and oxygen masks dangling. “A lot of blood everywhere,” he said. “It was really quite scary.”