HONOLULU (AP) - The Latest on turbulence on an Air Canada flight that left passengers injured (all times local):
3:30 p.m.
More passengers are describing the harrowing incident with violent turbulence that diverted an Air Canada flight to Honolulu Thursday.
The flight to Sydney encountered the turbulence about 600 miles (965.6 kilometers) from Honolulu.
Llyn Williams was traveling with his wife Erica Daly back to their home in Sydney. His wife was injured and taken to the hospital.
He said that when they hit the violent turbulence, nearly everyone in their cabin who wasn’t belted in hit the ceiling. He said the scene afterward was frightening, with “a lot of blood everywhere.”
Andrew Szucs of Sydney was belted in and said the plane dropped suddenly and then went sideways. The people who were not belted in flew up and hit the ceiling.
Officials say 37 people were injured, nine seriously.
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2 p.m.
An Air Canada flight to Australia landed in Hawaii with 37 people injured from sudden turbulence.
Emergency responders at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu say nine people suffered serious injuries Thursday. Emergency workers transported 30 people to hospitals.
Honolulu Emergency Medical Services Chief Dean Nakano says the injured ranged from children to the elderly.
Officials say customs agents met passengers at the gate to ensure they could get medical attention quickly.
The airline says the flight from Vancouver to Sydney encountered “un-forecasted and sudden turbulence,” about two hours past Hawaii and later diverted to Honolulu.
Passengers say the turbulence tossed people into the air, some hitting the ceiling.
Air Canada was arranging hotel accommodations and meals in Honolulu and options for resuming the flight.
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8:20 a.m.
An Air Canada flight flying to Australia landed in Hawaii with passengers needing medical help because of turbulence.
U.S. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor says Flight 33 from Vancouver to Sydney encountered turbulence at 36,000 feet about 600 miles southwest of Honolulu. The flight diverted to Honolulu and landed Thursday morning.
Gregor says crewmembers asked for medical personnel to meet the plane at the gate.
Honolulu Emergency Services Department spokeswoman Shayne Enright says there are multiple injuries. She wasn’t able to immediately provide a number for how many people are hurt or what kinds of injuries are involved.
Air Canada representatives didn’t immediately respond to requests for details.
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