A Boeing aircraft made an emergency landing in the city of Natal, Brazil, due to “severe turbulence” which resulted in at least twenty-seven people were injured.
According to the Spanish company, the 787-9 Dreamliner with 325 passengers left Madrid on Sunday bound for Montevideo. But “due to strong turbulence and for safety reasons” it changed course and headed for Natal, in northeastern Brazil, where it “landed normally,” it added in its statement.
![Brazil: Plane makes emergency landing - At least 27 injured 1 ptisi aireuropa](https://thegurumedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ptisi_aireuropa.jpg)
The landing took place at 2:42 am local time, according to Zurich Airport Brasil, the company that manages Natal’s international airport.
What Air Europe says
Air Europa clarified that there were seven injured and an unspecified number (passengers) who suffered minor injuries. The Uruguayan Foreign Ministry said that the passengers who required medical treatment were taken to the Monsenhor Valfredo Gurgel hospital in Natal. According to information from Uruguayan diplomatic sources, which came to the attention of Agence France-Presse, at least 27 people on board the plane required medical care at the hospital. One source spoke of “multiple injuries”, but did not specify whether their condition was serious. Another diplomatic source, from the same country, said that no one’s life was in danger and that some had already been discharged.
The aircraft will remain in Natal to determine if it was damaged and another will be sent in the next few hours so that passengers can continue their journey.
A woman, Mariela Hodal, posted a photo on Platform X showing the ceiling of the plane with cables hanging down and large yellow pipes visible inside. She said she was unharmed because she was wearing a seatbelt.
In May, a 73-year-old British man was killed and several others seriously injured when a Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 suffered a similar problem. Scientists say climate change is to blame for the increase in turbulence on flights. According to a 2023 study, the duration of turbulence increased by 17% annually between 1979-2020, and severe, rarer turbulence increased by 50%.
Sources: AMPE, AFP, Reuters