NEW DELHI: Thirteen holidayers returning from Phuket and four crew members on the Delhi-bound Air India flight were hospitalised Monday after the plane encountered severe turbulence.The Airbus A320 (VT-EXO) with 145 people suddenly dropped 300 feet, tossing passengers off their seats and sending them smashing into overhead fixtures. Cabin crew were thrown off their feet.Pilots steadied the aircraft, which suffered minor damage, flew it out of turbulence encountered near Odisha and landed it safely in Delhi at 11.07am.Seventeen flyers and crew were taken to Medanta, India Spinal Injury Centre and Fortis Hospital in Vasant Kunj.By evening, five passengers were discharged. Upon landing, an AI team with medical support received the 137 passengers (including three infants) and eight crew members onboard AI 2379 and examined them. Those with injuries were first taken to Medanta medical centre at IGIA.Recounting the incident, an Italian passenger Viviana told agencies, “We thought we would die. I was shaking and crying. It was horrible. I cannot hear well right now.” She added, “I saw my sister thrown up into the air from her seat. My mother was knocked on her head. My phone fell away. People sitting behind me suffered injuries too. A male passenger had blood on his face.”Senior pilots reiterate that since clear air turbulence can be encountered any time, it is best to keep seat belts loosely fastened at all times to avoid situations like this. Another passenger said they were sleeping when the aircraft encountered turbulence which lasted for “two-three minutes”.“The aircraft has been moved to the hangar and the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder have been secured for detailed examination. Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has initiated a detailed investigation into the occurrence,” govt said in a statement. Union aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu and secretary Samir Sinha visited the injured in hospital.An AI spokesperson said the aircraft “experienced a brief in-flight turbulence-related event during cruise, resulting in a momentary change in altitude. The aircraft landed safely in Delhi and all passengers and crew have safely disembarked. Thirteen passengers and four crew members sustained injuries and were taken to hospital for medical evaluation. As of 6.50pm, five passengers have been discharged, while the remaining individuals continue to receive treatment and care. Air India teams remain at the hospitals and in close contact with those affected to provide all necessary assistance and support.”It added that Air India is fully cooperating with the investigation, and the aircraft manufacturer has also been notified. The flight had taken off from Phuket at 8.27am and landed in Delhi just after 11am (all timings local).Fortis Hospital in Vasant Kunj said it received seven passengers. “The patients were shifted for radiological investigations (CT/MRI/X-rays, as clinically indicated) and are now being transferred to their respective inpatient rooms for continued observation and further management,” the hospital said in a statement. It added that a clearer clinical picture, including the extent of injuries and the definitive line of treatment, will be available upon completion of all investigations and specialist assessment.Aircraft frequently experience clear air turbulence (CAT), which International Civil Aviation Organisation defines as turbulence generated in clear air, in regions without clouds that is invisible to the pilot and by the US Federal Aviation Administration as sudden severe turbulence occurring in cloudless regions that causes violent buffeting of aircraft.
