Severe turbulence on a flight to London. Panic and injuries to several people
A peaceful flight turned into a fight for survival. That was the case on board the plane, which was heading from a Greek island to London. Due to severe turbulence, an emergency landing was necessary.
The incident happened earlier this week. An EasyJet Airbus A320 took off from Corfu Airport and was supposed to land at London Gatwick Airport. That didn’t happen. Italy’s national aviation safety agency, Agenzia Nazionale per la Sicurezza del Volo, said in a statement that the plane experienced turbulence as it entered Italian airspace.
Turbulence in the plane and sudden landing
During the ill-fated 75-minute flight, the Airbus A320 reached a speed of 500 knots (575 miles per hour) and an altitude of 31,000 feet. The turbulence on the plane was so severe that it had to be landed. The captain decided to stop at Rome Airport. An EasyJet spokesman indicated that the plane “landed normally” in the capital and that passengers were supported in the terminal.
The tourists did not lose their flight. A replacement crew and another plane were waiting for them there. Everything was prepared so that the flight to London could be continued without any problems. CNN reported that the passengers arrived in Great Britain the same day.
They were injured
An EasyJet spokesperson reported the unpleasant consequences of the flight. In a statement, he said that the turbulence caused “injuries to two cabin crew members”. After landing in Rome, the injured crew members were treated by medical services. It stressed that the safety and well-being of customers and crew was EasyJet’s top priority, and that pilots were well-trained in dealing with turbulence. The crew was safe because the seatbelt indicator on the plane was supposed to be on when the plane encountered turbulence. No passengers were injured.
The Italian aviation safety agency said in a statement that it had looked into the crew’s injuries and was opening an investigation into the incident, classifying it as an accident. The plane involved in the incident remained at Rome’s Fiumicino airport and has not yet returned to service.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, in nonfatal accidents, turbulence is the leading cause of injuries to flight attendants and passengers, and according to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, it is now one of the most common types of aircraft accidents. According to the National Center for Atmospheric Research, it costs U.S. airlines up to $500 million a year in injuries, delays and damages.
