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TERROR ON FLIGHT 35: Children among injured after Hawaiian Airlines A330 hits 'worst case of turbulence'

The occurrence has been called the 'worst case of turbulence' ever experienced on Hawaiian Airlines

HONOLULU, HAWAII: A Hawaiian Airlines flight from Arizona has experienced significant turbulence, resulting in a "mass emergency" that has left at least 20 passengers hurt, some of whom have been rendered unconscious.

On Sunday, December 18 as the seven-hour journey from Phoenix to Honolulu was nearing its end, numerous passengers were ejected from their seats. It was revealed that 11 people, including several children and a 14-month-old baby, suffered significant injuries. Nine more people had minor injuries, and seven of them chose to board a bus to the hospital for additional care. The intensity of the turbulence is thought to have caused one individual to break their neck. Oxygen masks were seen hanging from the ceiling in a cellphone video taken inside the Airbus A330, and several plastic ceiling panels were seen damaged by passengers.

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Around 11 am, the airport received a call requesting emergency services to react to a "mass casualty emergency." These services included firefighters, ambulance personnel, and the state Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Team. Twenty of the injured were transferred to the emergency room, with nine in stable condition and eleven in serious condition.

Honolulu EMS Director Dr Jim Ireland stated, "Although initially we thought there were some patients with critical injuries, after further assessment it turns out they weren't that severely injured, which was great."

The Hawaiian Airlines Chief Operating Officer, Jon Snook sounded relieved as he explained how all individuals who were hurt will survive during the news conference on Sunday afternoon. He stated, "Our flying procedures are built to avoid these things at all times and this is obviously an isolated incident. This is very regrettable and associated with the weather pattern that is coming through the islands."

Snook added, "We don't know the specifics of whether it happened during the descent or just before, but the seatbelt sign was on." He referred to the occurrence as the "worst case of turbulence" he had ever experienced while working for Hawaiian Airlines, although he emphasized how unexpected it was.

Snook stated, "We fly through difficult weather all the time so it’s unfortunate that this happened today. We will work closely with the NTSB and help them with whatever they need to know." A statement describing what had happened was later tweeted by Hawaiian Airlines.

Hawaiian Airlines tweeted, "HA35 from PHX to HNL encountered severe turbulence & landed safely in HNL at 10.50 am today. Medical care was provided to several guests & crewmembers at the airport for minor injuries while some were swiftly transported to local hospitals for further care. We are supporting all affected passengers & employees and are continuing to monitor the situation."

Hawaiian Airlines later gave a justification for what had transpired on board. The incident took place as a strong cold front started to move through the state, bringing the threat of severe winds, heavy rains, and thunderstorms. The plane was at its cruise altitude of 36,000 feet at the time.