Twelve people were injured when a Qatar Airways plane flying from Doha to Dublin on Sunday encountered turbulence, according to airport authorities. Eight of the injured individuals were hospitalized.
Dublin Airport reported that flight QR017, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, landed safely as scheduled before 1 pm (1200 GMT). Upon landing, the aircraft was met by emergency services, including airport police and the fire and rescue department, due to six passengers and six crew reporting injuries after the aircraft experienced turbulence while airborne over Turkey.
The airport stated that all passengers were assessed for injuries aboard the plane, and eight were then taken to the hospital.
Passenger Paul Mocc told Irish broadcaster RTE that he saw “people hitting the roof” and food and drink flying everywhere. Another traveler, Emma Rose Power, mentioned seeing flight attendants with scratches on their face and one with a sling on her arm.
Qatar Airways released a statement saying that “a small number of passengers and crew sustained minor injuries in flight and are now receiving medical attention.” The airline also mentioned that the matter is now subject to an internal investigation.
This incident occurred just five days after a British man died of a suspected heart attack and dozens of people were injured when a Singapore Airlines flight from London encountered severe turbulence. While turbulence-related fatalities are rare, injuries have been increasing over the years. Some meteorologists and aviation analysts note that reports of turbulence encounters have also been increasing and point to the potential impacts that climate change may have on flying conditions.
