At least three aboard L.A.-bound flight injured after severe turbulence hits; plane is diverted to Montreal
At least three people aboard a United Airlines flight on Tuesday were injured when the plane encountered severe turbulence over the Atlantic Ocean during a trip from London to Los Angeles, airline officials said.
Flight 935, carrying 196 passengers and 15 crew members, took off from Heathrow Airport about 10 a.m. London time and was diverted to Canada's Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, where it landed about noon Eastern time. It was scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles about 1:15 p.m. Pacific time.
United officials said medical attention was provided to a crew member and two passengers, whose injuries were not life-threatening. The airliner was taken out of service for inspection. A replacement is being brought in from Chicago to take the remaining passengers to Los Angeles.
Laura Desdorides of Los Angeles, a former flight attendant who was on the plane, said the turbulence hit suddenly while the seat-belt sign was off and crew members and passengers walked around the cabin. She said a number of people were shaken up and it looked like one person suffered leg injuries while another had chest injuries.
"We lost altitude quickly. It was very, very scary," Desdorides said. "Those who were out of their seats had it rough."
-- Dan Weikel
Flight 935, carrying 196 passengers and 15 crew members, took off from Heathrow Airport about 10 a.m. London time and was diverted to Canada's Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, where it landed about noon Eastern time. It was scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles about 1:15 p.m. Pacific time.
United officials said medical attention was provided to a crew member and two passengers, whose injuries were not life-threatening. The airliner was taken out of service for inspection. A replacement is being brought in from Chicago to take the remaining passengers to Los Angeles.
Laura Desdorides of Los Angeles, a former flight attendant who was on the plane, said the turbulence hit suddenly while the seat-belt sign was off and crew members and passengers walked around the cabin. She said a number of people were shaken up and it looked like one person suffered leg injuries while another had chest injuries.
"We lost altitude quickly. It was very, very scary," Desdorides said. "Those who were out of their seats had it rough."
-- Dan Weikel
EDITOR'S PICKS:
And Continental took over this third rate airline!
Posted by: pasadena jag | May 25, 2010 at 03:11 PM
That's why they always announce during the safety briefing that stay in your seats with your seat belts fastened even though the light is not on. There could always be an unexpected area of turbulence.....
Posted by: nils | May 25, 2010 at 03:18 PM
Turbulence doesn't care what airline an aircraft belongs to.
Lesson to be learned: always keep your seatbelt fastened and stay in your seat unless you absolutely have to get up.
Posted by: grecodan | May 25, 2010 at 03:50 PM
Hey pasadena: Just because you CAN comment doesn't mean you SHOULD comment. The article said the turbulence hit unexpectedly. Just how is that the airline's fault, hmmm?
Posted by: Gerry | May 25, 2010 at 03:51 PM
Try keeping your seatbelt buckled while moving around the cabin. Tell me how that works out for you. You could just as easily have made a comment about the admonition to stay in your seats unless you have a reason to be moving around the cabin. We don't have enough information to determine whether the two injured passengers had a good reason to be up (visiting the lavatory for instance).
Posted by: Ryan | May 25, 2010 at 04:03 PM
Betcha it passed through the trough of another plane a little too soon ... happens now and then ... enough to make a Nun jump out of her habit ...
Posted by: FN Cee | May 25, 2010 at 04:22 PM