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21 Injured on Air Canada Flight After Sudden Turbulence 21 Injured on Air Canada Flight After Sudden Turbulence
(about 7 hours later)
OTTAWA — Sudden and intense turbulence during an Air Canada flight on Wednesday threw passengers out of their seats, with some hitting the ceiling of the airplane, and resulted in multiple injuries. OTTAWA — Sudden and intense turbulence during an Air Canada flight on Wednesday threw passengers out of their seats, with some hitting the ceiling of the airplane, and resulted in numerous injuries.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is investigating why the jet, a Boeing 777-300ER airliner that was headed to Toronto from Shanghai with 351 people aboard, suddenly plummeted, injuring 21 passengers. It made an emergency landing in Calgary, Alberta, on Wednesday afternoon. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is investigating why the jet, a Boeing 777-300ER airliner that was headed to Toronto from Shanghai with 351 people aboard, suddenly plummeted, injuring 21 passengers. The plane made an emergency landing in Calgary, Alberta, on Wednesday afternoon.
The airline said that eight passengers suffered “non life threatening injuries” while the rest were examined and released from the hospital. The airline said that eight passengers suffered “nonlife-threatening injuries” while the rest were examined and released from a hospital.
Passengers at the airport in Calgary told reporters that blankets and objects flew through the air during the turbulence, and some compared the experience to riding a roller coaster.Passengers at the airport in Calgary told reporters that blankets and objects flew through the air during the turbulence, and some compared the experience to riding a roller coaster.
As oxygen masks dropped, many people began praying, several said.As oxygen masks dropped, many people began praying, several said.
“We thought we were dying,” one passenger, Connie Gelber, told CTV, a Canadian broadcaster in Calgary. “We thought we were dying,” one passenger, Connie Gelber, told CTV, a Canadian broadcaster.
“The ceiling literally fell down,” another passenger, Elizabeth Brayton, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation after arriving in Toronto, on a second airplane, early Thursday morning. “There was a lot of screaming and a lot of kids crying.” “The ceiling literally fell down,” another passenger, Elizabeth Brayton, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation after arriving in Toronto on a second airplane early Thursday morning. “There was a lot of screaming and a lot of kids crying.”
No medical doctor was onboard but Suzanne Caudry, a periodontist from Toronto, helped treat passengers’ injuries before the emergency landing. No medical doctor was on the flight but Suzanne Caudry, a periodontist from Toronto, helped treat passengers’ injuries before the emergency landing.
She told CBC News that she saw two passengers sitting near her who were not wearing seatbelts thrown into the air. She told CBC News that she saw two passengers who were not wearing seatbelts thrown into the air.
“Their heads had literally hit the ceiling and actually gone through the plastic,” she said. “The fact that nobody was seriously injured is a miracle.”“Their heads had literally hit the ceiling and actually gone through the plastic,” she said. “The fact that nobody was seriously injured is a miracle.”
In a statement, Klaus Goersch, Air Canada’s chief operating officer, attributed the “very unsettling experience” to turbulence. The safety board offered no immediate cause for the incident.In a statement, Klaus Goersch, Air Canada’s chief operating officer, attributed the “very unsettling experience” to turbulence. The safety board offered no immediate cause for the incident.