Severe Turbulence Leaves 15 in Hospital as Plane Passengers 'Suffer Broken Bones and Internal Bleeding' After Being Hurled Around Cabin

by Reuters and Associated Press, The Telegraph, May 1, 2017

At least 27 people were injured, several with suspected spinal damage, on an Aeroflot flight from Moscow to Bangkok on Monday when their Boeing 777 hit an air pocket.

Most of the injured - including a one-year-old child - were Russian. Fifteen of them were taken to a Bangkok hospital for treatment, the Russian embassy in Bangkok said in a statement. The other three injured were from Thailand.

A video posted online by Evgenia Zibrova, apparently shot in the aftermath of the turbulence, showed passengers scattered along the aisle of the aircraft.

Food and drinks, including several bottles of fizzy drinks, had apparently been hurled from the trolley and were sprawled across the floor.

Posting the video, Ms Zibrova wrote: "Numerous air pockets one hour before landing led to broken bones, internal and external bleeding. 

"Babies are covered in bruises, people lost consciousness. Thanks that we are still alive. Aeroflot, please help these people."

The Russian airline said in an earlier statement that several passengers had been injured during "severe turbulence" 40 minutes before landing in the Thai capital.

It said the crew was unable to warn passengers of the approaching danger as the turbulence occurred in a clear sky.

"All the injured were sent to a local hospital with injuries of a different kind of severity, mainly fractures and bruises," the embassy said.

"The reasons behind the injures was that some of the passengers had not had their seatbelts fastened."

The flight, SU270, hit an air pocket on its approach to Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport.

A Russian diplomat  said 15 remained hospitalized, but none had life-threatening injuries. According to a list issued by the embassy, all of the injured were Russians ranging in age from about one to 69, except for three Thais. 

Vladimir Sosnov, deputy head of Russian Consulate in Thailand, said: “The injured suffered multiple fractures. There are both Russian and foreign citizens among them." 

Airports of Thailand Pcl, Thailand's main airport operator, told Reuters the Boeing 777 had landed in Bangkok, but said any other comment should come from the airline.

Aeroflot operates two flights a day from Moscow to Bangkok. Thailand is a top destination for Russian tourists, with many visiting the country's beach resorts.

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This article was written by Reuters and Associated Press from The Telegraph and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to [email protected].