... as 12 hurt in second jet horror in a week

EIGHT people were taken to hospital yesterday after a flight bound for Dublin ran into severe turbulence.

In total, 12 people were injured – six passengers and six crew – when the Boeing Dreamliner jet from Doha ‘experienced turbulence while airborne over Turkey’.

It came less than a week after British man Geoff Kitchen, 73, died of a suspected heart attack and dozens more were injured when a Singapore Airlines flight from London Heathrow was rocked by severe turbulence.

Qatar Airways flight QR017 landed in the Irish capital shortly before 1pm yesterday, with Dublin Airport Authority confirming eight people were taken to hospital after its arrival. Officials said the plane’s return flight to Doha later in the afternoon was ‘scheduled to operate as normal, albeit with a delay’.

‘Flight operations at Dublin Airport were unaffected and continue as normal this afternoon,’ said a spokesman.

The plane was met by emergency services upon landing, including airport police and the fire and rescue department.

During the turbulence, the aircraft suddenly dropped 275ft.

Passengers described chaotic scenes, with one flight attendant ‘hitting the roof’ of the cabin, food trays being flung everywhere and members of staff panicking over what to do.

But Philomena O’Donnell Prendergast praised the crew, describing them as ‘amazing despite their injuries’.

Passenger Adam Dalton, a game developer, described it as ‘like a roller coaster drop’.

The flight departed from Doha at 8.06am and tracked north-west towards Dublin. Qatar Airways said in a statement: ‘A small number of passengers and crew sustained minor injuries in flight and are now receiving medical attention.

‘The matter is now subject to an internal investigation.’