A Delta Airlines flight bound for Europe was forced to make an emergency landing in Minneapolis after experiencing severe turbulence, the airline said. The flight was traveling from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam when the turbulence hit. According to a passenger, several people who weren’t wearing seat belts were tossed around the cabin.
Passengers admitted to hospitals after severe turbulence
A total of 25 people were taken to hospitals following the incident.
"They hit the ceiling, and then they fell to the ground. And the carts also hit the ceiling and fell to the ground, and people were injured. It happened several times, so it was really scary," AP quoted Leann Clement-Nash as telling ABC News.
The Airbus A330-900 was carrying 288 people, including 13 crew members, when the incident took place. After the flight’s emergency landing, the airport fire department and paramedics took 25 persons to the hospitals for treatment and evaluation.
Special flight arranged for stranded passengers
As per AP, Delta said on Thursday that seven crew members from the flight on Wednesday were taken to hospitals for treatment and later released. The airline added that some passengers also received medical care and were discharged, though it didn’t give an exact number. A special flight was arranged for Thursday evening from St Paul International Airport to Amsterdam, allowing affected passengers to continue their journey.
Delta also confirmed that it is working with the National Transportation Safety Board as part of the investigation.
United Airlines Washington-Munich flight encounters glitch after takeoff
Earlier on July 25, a serious mid-air emergency unfolded aboard a United Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner after the aircraft experienced a critical engine failure. According to media reports, United Flight UA108 was headed from Washington Dulles Airport to Munich when the left engine malfunctioned during the initial climb.
The incident occurred at around 5,000 feet, prompting the flight crew to declare a "MAYDAY" distress signal.
Flight tracking data from FlightAware shows the aircraft remained airborne for 2 hours and 38 minutes, circling northwest of Washington in a holding pattern to safely dump fuel before returning to land at Washington Dulles Airport.