Air Europa flight UX045 travelling from Madrid, Spain, to Montevideo, Uruguay, was forced to make an emergency landing in Natal, Brazil, on Monday due to severe turbulence. The incident resulted in injuries to approximately 30 passengers, including a passenger who got stuck in an overhead luggage compartment.
Passengers captured footage of the chaotic aftermath of the turbulence on board the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The clips showed damaged ceiling panels, deployed oxygen masks, and fellow passengers assisting a man trying to free himself from the overhead bin. Watch video here:
Injuries ranged from minor contusions to fractures and facial wounds. Some passengers were reportedly transported by ambulance to local hospitals, while the remaining injured passengers received treatment at the airport.
A passenger named Evangelina Saravia told Uruguayan news outlet, Teledoce, that the plane experienced about 20 minutes of mild turbulence before it suddenly dropped 400 metres at a speed of 1,000 km per hour, catching some passengers who had ignored the seatbelt warnings off guard. "Before the drop, people were walking around, not wearing seatbelts. Children were sleeping without belts," Saravia said. "People were thrown from their seats and hit the ceiling, which is why the ceiling broke," she added.
Another passenger, Stevan, told Reuters, "There are passengers with fractures and injuries to their arms, faces, and legs. About 30 people were injured. It was a pretty horrible feeling; we thought we were going to die, but thank God it didn't happen."
Air Europa took to social media to confirm the safe landing of flight UX045 and acknowledged the reports of minor injuries. The airline said passengers were temporarily transported to Recife before proceeding to Montevideo. Natal Airport was selected for the emergency landing due to its ability to assist passengers with medical needs quickly. Air Europa personnel were dispatched to both Natal and Recife to offer support and attend to the affected passengers.
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