Several injured when Hawaiian Airlines flight encounters severe turbulence near Hawaii
Hawaiian Airlines flight 35 from Phoenix to Honolulu was about 30 minutes from landing in Honolulu when severe turbulence rocked the flight.
Dozens injured when Hawaiian Airlines flight encounters severe turbulence
Several passengers and crew members were injured when severe turbulence rocked a Hawaiian Airlines flight en route to Honolulu on Sunday. FOX News correspondent Charles Watson has more from Honolulu.
HONOLULU – Several passengers and crew members were injured when severe turbulence rocked a Hawaiian Airlines flight en route to Honolulu on Sunday.
Several injured when Hawaiian Airlines flight encounters severe turbulence
Several passengers and crew members were injured when a Hawaiian Airlines flight encountered severe turbulence on Sunday.
Hawaiian Airlines flight 35 took off from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and was about 30 minutes from landing when the incident occurred.
Passengers told KHON in Honolulu that the violent shaking only lasted a few seconds, but it was enough time to seriously injure many passengers and some crew members.
HERE'S WHAT CAUSES TURBULENCE AND WHY YOU SHOULDN'T BE AFRAID OF IT
Watch: Hawaiian Airlines flight encounters severe turbulence
Several people were injured when a Hawaiian Airlines flight encountered severe turbulence on Sunday. The flight landed safely in Honolulu.
Honolulu Emergency Services Director Dr. James Ireland said EMS crews treated 36 people at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, according to a report from KHON. Twenty people, ranging from adults to a 14-month-old, were taken to hospitals, and 11 were in serious condition.
Hawaiian Airlines flight turbulence happened during severe storms: NWS Honolulu
NWS Honolulu Meteorologist Liam Tsamous tells FOX Weather that a very strong front with convection ahead of the front was on radar when the Hawaiian Airlines flight experienced severe turbulence near Hawaii.
"I want to say I'm very grateful for the support of the emergency services," said Hawaiian Airlines executive vice president and chief operating officer Jon Snook. "The DOT, police and fire department who were on site as soon as the aircraft arrived and provided fabulous care for those that were injured."
Several people were injured when a Hawaiian Airlines flight encountered severe turbulence on Sunday. (FOX Weather)
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After the incident, Hawaiian Airlines issued a statement on Twitter that said, "We are continuing to support our guests and employees who sustained injuries (Sunday) after Flight HA35 from PHX to HNL encountered severe turbulence. We are also conducting a thorough inspection of the aircraft before returning it to service. We apologize to our guests for this incident and thank our crewmembers, first responders, hospital personnel and airport teams for their coordinated response."
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said it would investigate the severe turbulence incident that resulted in serious injuries.
What causes turbulence?
To understand natural turbulence and what causes it, we have to understand how a plane flies.
"The wings of an airplane are designed to split the airflow created by the engines pushing the jet through an air mass," FOX Weather meteorologist Jason Frazer said. "It creates a pressure difference above and below the wing. This difference creates an upward force called lift."
Turbulence can range from light to extreme. (FOX Weather / FOX Weather)
And when the lift is greater than gravity, the plane goes up. And when it's equal, the plane cruises along on a smooth ride.
"Turbulence comes when there's a disruption in that balance," Frazer said. "Simply put, turbulence is just a change in wind speed and wind direction over a surface – like an airplane."