Twelve injured in turbulence on Qatar Airways flight to Dublin

The incident comes a week after a passenger died and dozens were injured when a Singapore Airlines flight from London hit severe turbulence and was diverted to Bangkok.

The Qatar plane at Dublin airport.

Twelve passengers and crew suffered minor injuries after a flight from Doha, Qatar, to Dublin experienced severe turbulence.

The incident comes after a Singapore Airlines aircraft rose and fell about 400 feet in less than a minute, leading to the death of one passenger and injuries of more than 100 on board the aircraft.

Qatar Airways on Sunday said flight QR017 had encountered turbulence while flying over Turkey. The aircraft, a Boeing 787, continued on to its final destination.

“A small number of passengers and crew sustained minor injuries in flight and are now receiving medical attention,” Qatar Airways said in a statement. “The matter is now subject to an internal investigation.” Emergency services at Dublin Airport met passengers and crew at the aircraft, where each was assessed for injuries, according to a spokesman for the Irish hub. Eight of the 12 injured were taken to a hospital for treatment. The airport said the aircraft would continue to operate its next flight, though slightly behind schedule.

Serious injuries from turbulence are still relatively rare. In the U.S., the National Transportation Safety Board recorded 101 serious injuries in the U.S. between 2013 and 2022. But aviation regulators have been warning in recent years that changing weather conditions linked to climate change could make incidents more common and more severe.

Tuesday’s death on the Singapore Airlines flight was the first turbulence-linked death in about three decades, according to flight-data specialist, Cirium. Other injuries caused in the accident included spinal injuries, damage to skulls, and a husband and wife who broke their neck and back respectively after each was thrust against the aircraft’s ceiling during the incident.

Singapore Airlines said on Sunday that it had returned the Boeing 777 aircraft involved in last week’s accident to Singapore from Bangkok where it had been diverted. The airline has also amended its seat-belt procedures, including a new policy restricting meal services while the seat belt sign is turned on.

Aviation safety specialists advise that wearing a seat belt helps to prevent most injuries that can be encountered because of turbulence.

Wall Street Journal