At least 25 people were injured when severe turbulence struck a plane landing in New York City.
On Saturday night (local time) the Turkish Airlines Boeing 777 flew into JFK Airport from Istanbul. As it approached the city it ran into a patch of tumultuous air that caused the aircraft to bounce around in the sky and drop dramatically.
Air traffic control recordings show the flight crew made an urgent request to land due to the turbulence, and also told controllers medical assistance would be required as soon as the aircraft arrived on the tarmac.
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The Port Authority initially said 25 people had been injured in the landing, while the Fire Department of New York put the number at 32 but later lowered the total to 29.
None of the injuries were life-threatening, but ABC reports they included bloodied faces, bruises, cuts and even a broken leg, which is believed to have been that of a crew member.
ABC also reports several "small children" were hurt and 10 people have been hospitalised.
One passenger tweeted that he was relieved to have landed safely after suffering through an "agonising 45 [minute] descent].
Levan Bouadze said the plane encountered "massive turbulence" before suddenly diving in the airspace over Boston to the screams of both passengers and crew.
Another passenger told News 4 he was in the bathroom at the moment the plane dropped. He came out to find his pregnant wife vomiting with nausea, and said he was still in pain hours after landing.
The National Weather Service had warned of areas of severe turbulence over New England, which borders New York state. It seems the Turkish Airlines plane flew straight into one of them.
There were 326 passengers onboard, as well as 21 crew members.
Newshub.
