CNN
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At the least 36 individuals on a Hawaiian Airways flight have been injured, with 20 taken to emergency rooms, after their airplane encountered “extreme turbulence” on a flight from Phoenix to Honolulu on Sunday, authorities stated.
Eleven sufferers have been in severe situation, Honolulu Emergency Medical Providers stated in an announcement. Amongst these transported to the hospital was a 14-month-old little one.
The sufferers’ accidents included a severe head damage, lacerations, bruising and lack of consciousness, Honolulu EMS stated.
Hawaiian Airways is “supporting all affected passengers & workers” and monitoring the scenario, the corporate stated. Three crew members have been amongst these injured, based on the airline.
“Medical care was offered to a number of friends & crewmembers on the airport for minor accidents whereas some have been swiftly transported to native hospitals for additional care,” Hawaiian Airways tweeted.
The turbulence occurred 15 to half-hour earlier than the airplane landed in Honolulu, carrying 278 passengers and 10 crew members.
The EMS and the American Medical Response responded to a “mass casualty emergency” at Daniel Okay. Inouye Worldwide Airport simply after 11 a.m. Sunday, based on the assertion.
Hawaiian Airways Flight 35, an Airbus 330, reported the turbulence round 10:35 a.m. Hawaii Normal Time, based on the Federal Aviation Administration.
An 18-year-old school pupil on her method residence for winter break was on the airplane and stated it felt like regular turbulence at first. Then the shaking escalated shortly.
“It felt like free-falling,” Jacie Hayata-Ano advised CNN, describing being lifted off her seat along with her seat belt on.
After the shaking was over, a crew member came to visit the speaker system asking for any educated medical or army personnel to assist with injured passengers, stated Hayata-Ano, who was not injured.
“I’m grateful that there have been people who stepped up and helped as a result of a few of the employees wanted it,” she stated. “Everybody was just about serving to one another. Checking on one another and selecting up stuff,” Hayata-Ano added.
The airline stated it’s conducting “a radical inspection of the plane” earlier than returning the airplane to service.
The FAA stated it’s investigating the incident.