Nearly 40 passengers and crew members sustained head and spinal injuries, as a SpiceJet flight, operating from Mumbai to Durgapur, encountered severe turbulence before landing
Representational image.
About 40 flyers were left injured, including 12 who were seriously hurt, on board a SpiceJet flight from Mumbai to Durgapur in West Bengal on Sunday after the airplane encountered severe turbulence during its descent.
The incident occured when the plane was about to land at the Kazi Nazrul Islam airport at Andal in West Burdwan.
The aviation safety regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has deployed a multi-disciplinary team to carry out an investigation into the incident.
What happened with SpiceJet’s SG-945 flight?
A SpiceJet flight from Mumbai to Durgapur on Sunday evening was caught in severe turbulence on its descent to Kazi Nazrul Islam airport. Nearly 40 passengers and crew members sustained head and spinal injuries, 12 of which were reported to have sustained serious injuries.
The two-hour flight later landed at Durgapur at 7.15 pm, where the injured passengers were provided medical attention.
According to a report by News18, the plane got into the midst of an approaching storm, locally known as kalbaisakhi – a localised storm characterised by lightning, thunder, severe winds and strong precipitation.
The report said that cabin baggage fell on passengers’ heads and seatbelts were torn as the plane hobbled precariously due to severe turbulence.
One passenger, who sustained head injury during the landing, said that despite being strapped in seat belts, their seat belts tore on the impact and they were jostled very hard in their seats.
“The flight was about to land at Durgapur airport when the aircraft began to hobble as the flight experienced massive turbulence following extreme bad weather. Few passengers were severely injured during this major mid-air turbulence,” Akbar Ansari, an injured passenger said, as quoted by News18.
What is turbulence and how does it impact an airplane?
A chaotic and sudden change in pressure and velocity of the airflow that can push or pull a plane is termed turbulence.
Turbulence can cause minor bumps as well as prolonged violent shaking of the aircraft that can cause severely dangerous situations
During moderate turbulence, the balance of the airplane is not affected to a great degree and only causes minor uncomfort to the passengers. Severe turbulence can cause abrupt change in altitude as well as variations in the speed of the airplane.
In case of extreme turbulence, the aircraft can shake violently and it is impossible to control and keep stable in the air.
According to a report by the Indian Express, there are at least seven different types of turbulence. A common form of turbulence is caused by weather-related phenomena as the plane flies through a thunderstorm or a heavy cloud.
What should passengers do in case of turbulence?
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says that passengers can prevent injuries from unexpected turbulence by keeping their seat belt buckled at all times.
It suggests that passengers should listen and follow the instructions of the cabin crew, and also adhere to the safety instructions at the beginning of the flight.
The passengers should also read the safety briefing card; wear a seat belt at all times; use an approved child safety seat or device if a child is under two; and adhere to the airline’s carry-on restrictions.
With inputs from agencies
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