Several passengers were injured when a Malaysia Airlines plane experienced severe turbulence during a flight from London to Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
A Malaysia Airlines statement confirmed that “some passengers suffered minor injuries” and were treated by medical officers after flight MH1 encountered “a brief moment” of turbulence over the Bay of Bengal.
Photos posted on social media showed the severity of the turbulence, with food trolleys toppled over, items scattered across the cabin and an overhead locker damaged.
“During the flight over the Bay of Bengal the passenger seatbelt light was switched on due to air turbulence. Due to a brief moment of severe turbulence some passengers suffered minor injuries,” the statement said.
According to Malaysian newspaper The Star, as many as 34 people were injured during the flight.
Medical crew and senior airline management met the aircraft on its arrival in Kuala Lumpur International Airport around 6.10pm, with a small number of affected passengers and crew treated by medical officers.
“Malaysia Airlines has assisted the 378 passengers and crew on board MH1 and sincerely apologises for any inconvenience caused by this weather event which was entirely beyond our control.”
Flight MH1 was carrying 378 passengers and crew.
Two years ago, Malaysia Airlines suffered twin tragedies resulting in the death of over 600 people.
On March 8, 2014, the Beijing-bound flight MH370 with 239 people aboard, disappeared without a trace nearly an hour after it took off at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Four months later, on July 17, 2014, Flight MH17 with 298 people aboard, was shot down by a missile while passing through eastern Ukraine. The plane came from Amsterdam and was en route to Kuala Lumpur.
More images on the MH1 turbulence incident. pic.twitter.com/NDtRGRvpid
— i-man (@LazyAviator) June 5, 2016
MH1 LHR-KUL ETA KUL 1010Z. REQ MEDIC ASSTNCE UPON ARR. 34 PAX N 6 CREW INJURED DURING TURBULENCE pic.twitter.com/pbdsA4I9R2
— i-man (@LazyAviator) June 5, 2016
