An official with Hawaiian Airlines has described the severe turbulence that injured 11 people on a flight from Phoenix to Honolulu on Sunday as an outlier.
The airline’s COO, Jon Snook, said, “We have not had an incident of this nature in recent history.” At a press conference in the afternoon, he revealed that there were 278 passengers and 10 crew members on board.
Director of Honolulu Emergency Medical Services Jim Ireland reported treating 36 patients, many of whom were suffering from motion sickness or minor injuries. He reported that twenty people were taken to hospitals, eleven of whom were in critical condition.
According to Snook, among the injured were three flight attendants.
“That no one was killed or seriously hurt is a blessing for which we are also grateful. And we’re keeping our fingers crossed that everyone will make a full recovery “That’s what Ireland had to say.
Kaylee Reyes, a passenger, told Hawaii News Now that her mother had just sat down when the turbulence hit, and that she did not have time to fasten her seat belt.
Reyes Claimed, “She Flew Up And Hit The Ceiling”
Snook reported that during the turbulence, the plane sustained some internal damage. He added that some of the injured weren’t even fastened in their seatbelts, despite the fact that the seatbelt sign had been illuminated.
Honolulu National Weather Service meteorologist Thomas Vaughan stated that there was a thunderstorm watch in effect for the island of Oahu and the surrounding area (which included the flight path) at the time of the incident.
Snook claims the airline knew about the unstable air and weather conditions and the weather forecast but had no idea the area of air where the turbulence occurred “was in any way dangerous.”
He said the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) would be conducting an investigation to determine how much altitude was lost during the turbulence. He explained that information would be available in the plane’s flight data recorder.
Following the turbulence and the crew’s declaration of emergency due to the number of injuries on board, the Airbus A330-200 reportedly began its descent. The flight was given the green light to land by air traffic controllers.
Snook said that the plane would get a full checkup and maintenance to fix various cabin components.
According to Snook, he was only able to speculate as to whether or not some passengers had hit their heads, but he concluded that it was likely given the injuries and the smashed cabin paneling.
Related Search:
- On A Flight From Honolulu To San Francisco, 11 People Were Seriously Hurt Due To The Turbulent Weather!
- Hawaiian Airlines Flight To Honolulu Was Marred By Severe Turbulence, Injuring 20 People!
How To Calm Your Nerves When Encountering Turbulence
While severe incidents like those on flight HA35 are extremely uncommon, even a slightly turbulent flight is usually nothing to worry about.
The FAA identifies the following as potential sources of turbulence:
- air movement not normally seen
- atmospheric pressure
- jet streams
- air around mountains
- cold or warm weather fronts
- thunderstorms
At other times, it appears seemingly out of nowhere, though pilots have been known to issue radio warnings to one another in advance. While turbulence is most commonly associated with the weather, it can occur under any circumstances.
The Federal Aviation Administration reports that, on average, 58 people in the United States are injured during turbulent flights each year when they are not wearing seatbelts.
Last Words
Turbulence poses no threat, so that’s the most crucial piece of information to take away. You might not feel great, but rest assured that your plane can handle even the worst conditions. You’re not experiencing nearly as much movement as you think, even in the worst turbulence.
