More than a dozen passengers were injured during severe turbulence on an Aerolinas Argentinas flight between Miami and Buenos Aires, Argentina, according to the carrier.
Flight AR1303, which left Miami International Airport on Oct. 18, endured “turbulence of severe intensity” that injured 15 of the 192 passengers on board, the airline said in a statement.
“The incident occurred in the flight phase called ‘cruise’ and was immediately reported by the commander in charge of the aircraft,” Aerolinas Argentinas wrote, according to a translation. “The company arranged its medical equipment at the arrival of the flight to assist those passengers who suffered blows or bruises due to the sudden movements that this type of atmospheric conditions causes.”
#aerolineasargentinas incidente en vuelo Mia-Bue por turbulencias pic.twitter.com/m35UAZQPOr
— Liliana Suarez (@li03suarez) October 19, 2018
Photos posted on social media also show that damage was done to the airplane’s interior.
Another photo shows trash and other debris littering the cabin floor.
Turbulencia severa provoca 15 heridos en un vuelo de Aerolíneas Argentinas https://t.co/KlBPUwexIy pic.twitter.com/4v9jUPqqFR
— Mariana Alfaro (@marianalfaro) October 19, 2018
One passenger posted a photo that looked like a bloodied napkin. The top of the cabin area of the plane appeared as if it were cracked open.
The Florida Sun-Sentinel reported that the plane landed at 7:28 p.m.
Aerolineas Argentinas said that once the turbulence ended, flight crew helped to assist injured passengers. Emergency medical staff came in an helped once the plane landed at Ministro Pistarini International Airport.
“Turbulence occurs when two air masses of different temperatures or different velocities collide,” the airliner wrote on its website. “These can produce sudden movements in the aircraft according to their intensity, although they do not in any way jeopardize the safety of the aircraft.”
From The Epoch Times