United Airlines London-Los Angeles Flight Hits Turbulence over Atlantic
Passengers flying with United Airlines on a transatlantic service from London to Los Angeles were injured during their journey on Tuesday when the plane hit severe turbulence over the ocean. Afterward, the flight was diverted to Montreal.
As many as 10 passengers and crew were injured in the incident - some reports say 4 passengers and 1 crew member, while others say 9 passengers, including a pregnant woman, and 1 crew member. Most of the injuries were broken bones, while the crew member had a sprained ankle. However, none of the injuries were life threatening, and they were taken to a hospital upon landing in Montreal.
The number of those injured is very small compared to the total 211 people on board the flight - 3 pilots, 12 crew and 196 passengers. Sarah Massier, a spokeswoman for United Airlines, confirmed the flight hit severe turbulence over the Atlantic, but she didn’t know how high they were flying or how far they fell. The uninjured passengers were transferred to another aircraft and taken on to Los Angeles, she continued, adding that the flight safely arrived 9 hours later than originally planned.
Joanne Richards, a flight attendant trainer, said that turbulence that injures crew and passengers is rare. It could have been due to a lot of things - the jet stream, air pressure, wind or temperature - she continued, noting that it was a very hot day.
Benoît Garneau, a local ambulance service spokesman, commented that everyone was calm despite the commotion. He added that nobody was in shock.
Transportation Safety Board officials are set to analyze the data recorder from the Boeing 777 in order to get more information about what happened. United Airlines investigators will also inspect the plane for damage before sending it back into service.
Find Cheap Flights!