Turbulence Takes its Toll: Air Europa Flight Diverted with Injured Passengers

A recent Air Europa flight from Spain to Uruguay was diverted after encountering severe turbulence. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which was flying from Madrid to Montevideo’s capital, had to divert early Monday morning. According to a statement shared with Business Insider, seven people were injured, while an “undetermined number” had minor bruises. However, images shared on social media appeared to show damage to the cabin’s ceiling panels. In one clip, people were seen seemingly helping a fellow passenger down from an overhead luggage compartment.

Passengers on the flight have shared their experiences with Uruguayan TV network Teledoce. Romina Apai said she was sitting next to the person who got stuck in an overhead luggage compartment. Evangelina Saravia said the man appeared to be stuck in the damaged roof of the plane and had to be lowered by medical services after landing in Natal, Brazil. Medical services attended to the Boeing 787 after it landed in Natal, Brazil. In a statement, Air Europa said that it would send another plane to pick up the passengers and that it would check the aircraft for damage.

The incident is not unique as there have been several instances involving severe turbulence in recent months. In May, a 73-year-old Singapore Airlines passenger died and dozens more were injured due to turbulence. Days later, 12 people were injured on a Qatar Airways flight. While serious injuries due to turbulence are extremely rare, data from the Federal Aviation Administration shows an average of less than 12 people a year were seriously injured between 2009 and 2022 due to turbulence.