On 29th June, a Hawaiian Airlines flight from Honolulu to Sydney encountered severe turbulence, injuring 12 passengers and crew members onboard.
The Airbus A330-200 with registration N393HA was performing flight HA451 with 163 passengers and 12 crew members on board. However, about five hours after takeoff from Honolulu, flight HA451 was hit by severe turbulence.
The turbulence caused the plane to drop suddenly, throwing passengers and crew members from their seats. Some passengers were also hit by flying objects. The flight attendants were able to assist the injured passengers. One doctor was onboard the flight, who treated the injured ones onboard. The A330 continued to Sydney without any further incidents.
Footage shared on the internet shows the damage sustained to the aircraft and the oxygen masks that were deployed as well.
The injured passengers and crew members were assessed by paramedics on arrival in Sydney. One passenger and three staff members were taken to hospital with injuries and back pain.
In a statement, Hawaiian Airlines said that the turbulence was “unexpected” and that the flight crew did everything they could to protect the passengers. The airline also said that it was working with the FAA and other authorities to investigate the incident.
Images via RainbowAussie/Reddit