Hawaiian Airlines flight leads to passenger injuries after "extreme turbulence"
Honolulu, Hawaii - A Hawaiian Airlines flight was hit with severe turbulence that injured over 30 passengers and sent many to the hospital.
According to The New York Times, 36 people were injured on a flight from Phoenix to Honolulu after experiencing a rough bout of turbulence that occurred roughly 30 minutes before landing.
In a clip shared on social media that was seemingly filmed after the turbulence, flight attendants were seen assisting injured passengers. One passenger appeared to have a head injury that was bleeding profusely.
The interior of the plane also appeared to be extremely damaged, as cracks adorned the overhead compartments and the panels located above the seats.
EMS and the American Medical Response were waiting when the plane landed safely in Honolulu at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport that morning.
"Medical care was provided to several guests & crew members at the airport for minor injuries while some were swiftly transported to local hospitals for further care," Hawaiian Airlines said in a tweet.
Of those injured, 20 passengers were rushed to the local emergency room, one of which was a 14-month-old child. Honolulu EMS explained that injuries included a serious head injury, lacerations, bruising, and loss of consciousness.
The airline's chief operating officer Jon Snook explained that "unstable air and weather conditions near the Hawaiian islands helped create an unstable patch of air that caught the flight by surprise."
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are conducting a thorough investigation into the incident.
Cover photo: KAREN BLEIER / AFP