25 December 2023 , 16:14
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Eleven people were hospitalised after a UK-bound flight suffered severe turbulence and had to make an emergency landing.
The Airbus A300-200 was flying from Barbados to Manchester but had to land at LF Wade International Airport in Bermuda due to the in-flight issues. Emergency responders raced to the airport and transported almost a dozen people to hospital, according to Bermudan officials.
A statement from Bermuda's Ministry of Security said: “At approximately 12.50am, Maleth Aero Flight 1975, an Airbus A300-200, en route from Barbados to Manchester experienced severe turbulence, necessitating an emergency landing at LF Wade International Airport. The aircraft executed a controlled landing on the island. The flight was transporting 225 passengers and 13 crew members.
"Emergency medical technicians from the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service greeted the aircraft to provide initial assessments of the passengers and pre-hospital care. The response included nine BFRS vehicles, two King Edward VII Memorial Hospital ambulances and 20 BFRS personnel.”
Thankfully, each of the 11 passengers only sustained minor injuries, with nine of them having been discharged from hospital already. According to the Royal Gazette, the aircraft will remain on the tarmac while an investigation is carried out to see whether the turbulence had damaged the plane itself.
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Owen Darrell, the acting Minister of National Security, said: “We are aware of the situation and are diligently working to ensure the wellbeing of all involved. We are extremely grateful for the quick response of all our emergency services personnel who ensured the safety of the passengers and crew.”
Mr Darrell added that officials are providing support to passengers, crew and airline officials ans authorities carry out an investigation into the circumstances around the incident.
Earlier this year, dramatic footage showed the dramatic moment that passengers screamed as their aircraft experienced severe turbulence during a thunderstorm.
The frightful scene was captured aboard Juneyao Airlines flight HO1188 on September 18. One passenger, who only wants to be referred to as Mr Wang, filmed the video, and said the flight was originally scheduled to travel from Hailar, in China's Inner Mongolia Region, to Shenyang, located in Liaoning Province.
But due to a fierce storm, the aircraft had to make an unscheduled stop at Changbai Mountain Airport, which is nearly 200 miles from its original destination. Mr Wang said: "I received a weather alert message locally, but I didn't pay much attention to it because the flight was scheduled to depart. We boarded the plane."
When the aircraft was approaching Shenyang, aircrew informed passengers the plane couldn't descend because of the conditions. Mr Wang said: "The aircraft kept circling, and at around 9:00 pm, it made an unscheduled landing at Changbai Mountain Airport."