On August 11, 2024, EVA Air flight BR238 encountered severe turbulence two hours after departing Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport for Taipei, Taiwan.
The incident occurred during the inflight meal service aboard the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft (registration B-16711).
Six flight attendants suffered minor injuries, while no passengers were reportedly hurt. Formosa News reported that one passenger narrowly avoided hitting the ceiling due to another passenger’s quick action.
Passengers shared images on social media depicting the aftermath, showing food, beverages, and meal trays strewn across the aisle. These visuals highlight the intensity of the turbulence experienced during the flight.
Despite the midair disturbance, the aircraft landed safely at Taoyuan International Airport, located 50km west of Taipei, approximately seven hours after it departed from Jakarta.
Similar Incidents
On August 4, 2024, Korean Air flight KE197 experienced severe turbulence approximately one hour after departing Seoul Incheon International Airport for Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The incident occurred near Tianjin Airport in China, lasting 15 seconds and resulting in minor injuries to 14 passengers aboard the Airbus A330-300.
The Korea JoongAng Daily reported passenger screams as the aircraft encountered lightning and thunder. Korean Air confirmed to local media that the plane was carrying 281 passengers during the incident.
This event follows a similar occurrence on June 30, 2024, when Air Europa flight UX45 from Madrid to Montevideo encountered severe turbulence. That incident reportedly injured up to 30 passengers and forced the flight to divert to Natal, Brazil.
Social media footage from the Air Europa flight revealed significant damage caused by the turbulence, highlighting the potential severity of such events.
