At least 30 individuals on an Air Europa flight sustained injuries after the plane encountered severe turbulence on Monday.
The Air Europa Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner was en route from Spain to Uruguay when the turbulence struck, as reported by BBC. The flight was diverted to Brazil before reaching its intended destination, the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo.
“Our flight bound for Montevideo was diverted to Natal due to strong turbulence,” Air Europa stated. “The plane landed normally, and those injured are already being treated.”
Over two dozen passengers experienced varying degrees of injuries, with one individual apparently being thrown into the overhead luggage compartment. A viral video shows fellow passengers helping to rescue the person from the overhead bin, feet-first, after the turbulence subsided.
Watch Here:
One of the passengers on board the Air Europa flight that hit turbulence over the Atlantic had to be rescued from the overhead luggage compartment. https://t.co/UKtfioCRU4 pic.twitter.com/vU2BX6HX5z
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) July 1, 2024
Additional videos shared on social media depict oxygen masks hanging from the ceiling and damaged ceiling panels within the aircraft.
Some passengers required medical assistance following the incident. Approximately 10 were taken to a nearby hospital after the flight landed in Brazil.
Mariela Jodal, a passenger on the flight, mentioned on X that wearing her seatbelt protected her from serious injuries, unlike others who were thrown towards the ceiling.
This sentiment was echoed by another passenger on the Madrid to Montevideo flight. “From one moment to the next, the plane destabilized and went into a dive. The people who didn’t have seat belts went up in the air and hit the ceiling, and they got hurt – those who had seat belts on, not so much,” passenger Maximiliano told Reuters.
Individuals who hit the ceiling suffered cranial fractures and facial cuts, according to a local medical team speaking to Brazilian media.
A similar incident occurred in May when a Singapore Airlines flight experienced severe turbulence mid-air. A British man lost his life on that flight, possibly due to a heart attack triggered by the sudden shaking.