At least 36 people were injured, some seriously, after ‘severe turbulence’ on Hawaiian Airlines flight
See inside of Hawaiian Airlines plane rocked by turbulence of Hawaiian Airlines from Phoenix to Honolulu
Around 36 people on a Hawaiian Airlines flight were wounded and 20 were taken to the emergency room after their plane experienced “severe turbulence” on a flight from Phoenix to Honolulu on Sunday, authorities said.
Eleven patients were in serious condition, Honolulu Emergency Medical Services said in a statement. Among those taken to the hospital was a 14-month-old child.
Patient injuries included severe head injuries, lacerations, bruising and loss of consciousness, Honolulu EMS said.
Hawaiian Airlines is “supporting all affected passengers and employees” and monitoring the situation, the company said. According to the airline, three crew members were among the injured.
“Several guests and crew members were treated at the airport for minor injuries, while some were quickly transported to local hospitals for further care,” Hawaiian Airlines tweeted.
Turbulence occurred 15 to 30 minutes before the plane landed in Honolulu with 278 passengers and 10 crew members on board.
EMS and American Medical Response responded to a “mass casualty emergency” at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport shortly after 11 a.m. Sunday, according to a statement.
Hawaiian Airlines Flight 35, an Airbus 330, reported turbulence around 10:35 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The 18-year-old student was on the plane on her way home for winter break and said it appeared to be normal turbulence at first. Then the shaking escalated rapidly.
“It felt like a free fall,” Jacie Hayata-Ano told CNN, describing how she was lifted from her seat with her seat belt on.
After the shaking stopped, a crew member went over the public address system and asked for any trained medical or military personnel to help the injured passengers, said Hayata-Ano, who was not injured.
“I’m thankful that there were people who stepped up and helped because some of the staff needed it,” she said. “Everyone helped each other. We check each other and collect things,” added Hayata-Ano.
The airline said it was conducting a “thorough inspection of the aircraft” before returning the aircraft to service.
The incident is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.
