36 injured after Hawaiian Airline flight hits 'severe turbulence'
A Hawaiian Airlines flight traveling from Phoenix, Arizona, to Honolulu, Hawaii, on Sunday encountered "severe turbulence" that injured at least 36 passengers, authorities said. At least 20 passengers were taken to emergency rooms, per CNN.
Honolulu Emergency Medical Services reported eleven patients in serious condition. The names and ages of the affected passengers have not been confirmed, though Honolulu EMS said that a 14-month-old baby was among those transferred to the hospital. Injuries included "a serious head injury, lacerations, bruising, and loss of consciousness," CNN summarizes, per Honolulu EMS. Hawaiian Airlines said it is monitoring the situation while "supporting all affected passengers & employees." The airline confirmed that three crew members were injured.
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The Airbus 330 was at total capacity, with 278 passengers and ten crew members, when it encountered turbulence strong enough to cause damage to interior panels and head injuries for multiple people, according to Hawaiian Airlines officials. At a Sunday news conference, Hawaiian Airlines Chief Operating Officer Jon Snook said the flight was cruising at an altitude of 36,000 feet when it hit a patch of rough weather about 15 to 30 minutes before landing in Honolulu, NBC news reports.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the crew reported the turbulence at about 10:35 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time. The fasten seat belts lights were on at the time, but airline officials say some of the injured were not properly restrained, per NBC News.
