At least 36 people on a Hawaiian Airlines flight were injured, with 20 taken to emergency rooms, after their plane encountered “severe turbulence” on a flight from Phoenix to Honolulu on Sunday, US authorities said.
Eleven patients were in serious condition, Honolulu Emergency Medical Services said in a statement.
Among those transported to the hospital was a 14-month-old child.
The patients’ injuries included a serious head injury, lacerations, bruising and loss of consciousness, Honolulu EMS said.
Video shared by one Twitter user, shows cracked overhead bins and a mask dangling from the roof of the plane.
“Scariest experience flying: very strong turbulence happened mid flight and some ppl with head injuries from hitting the ceiling,” they wrote.
“I’m safe just very shaken up.”
Hawaiian Airlines is “supporting all affected passengers and employees” and monitoring the situation, the company said.
“Medical care was provided to several guests and crewmembers at the airport for minor injuries while some were swiftly transported to local hospitals for further care,” Hawaiian Airlines tweeted.
The turbulence occurred 30 minutes before the plane landed in Honolulu.
It looks like the type of place you’d whack on your travel bucket list
The EMS and the American Medical Response responded to a “mass casualty emergency” at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport just after 11 am Sunday, according to a statement.
Hawaiian Airlines Flight 35, an Airbus 330, reported the turbulence around 10:35 am Hawaii Standard Time, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The FAA said it is investigating the incident.