Thai authorities said many of the injuries were to the top or spine, and a couple of dozen people required surgery. Singapore Airlines has since introduced stricter cabin restrictions during turbulence, but didn’t require passengers to wear seat belts throughout the flight.
The airline said it was fully cooperating with authorities investigating the incident, which resulted within the death of 1 person. The plane made an emergency landing in Bangkok.
According to RTE News, passengers on the flight claimed that at the very least one crew member was thrown into the air when the plane suddenly lost altitude. One man remembers the plane falling for several seconds and food being scattered across the cabin, while others described a way of panic and fear on the plane.
Qatar Airways flight QR017 from Doha was met by fire and emergency services upon arrival shortly before 1pm local time, Dublin Airport said in a press release. Six passengers and 6 crew members reported injuries.
One passenger told RTE News that the seat belt sign didn’t come on when the Boeing 787 hit turbulence. Some of the crew had scratches on their faces, and one person had his arm in a sling, said certainly one of the passengers.
Although deaths and serious injuries from turbulence are rare, research indicates that global warming will make such events more common. According to research by meteorologists on the University of Reading, climate change is resulting in more turbulence as changes in wind speeds at different altitudes turn into more extreme.
Qatar Airways said in a press release that those injured within the flight were receiving medical treatment and the incident was under internal investigation. “The safety of our passengers and crew is our highest priority,” the airline said.
