A Lufthansa flight operating Thursday between Austin, Texas and Frankfurt, Germany suffered an altitude drop of about 1,000 feet after being hit by strong turbulence as a storm passed through.
Seven people on the plane were injured and taken to hospital.
Flight 469 experienced “significant turbulence” and had to be diverted to Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia, said Michael Cabbage, spokesman for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
Seven people have been taken to hospitals after turbulence on a Lufthansa flight in the US. According to a company spokesperson, the turbulence – which occurred about 90 minutes after takeoff – was brief but intense. Some passengers were injured #LiveCNNBrasil pic.twitter.com/LBNOLpHGPM
— CNN Brazil (@CNNBrazil) March 3, 2023
According to Globethere were 172 passengers on the plane, including Brazilian model Camila Alves, wife of American actor Matthew McConaughey.
The plane, an Airbus A330, reported severe turbulence at an altitude of about 11,300 feet as it flew over the state of Tennessee, the Federal Aviation Administration, which is investigating the matter, said in a statement.
The turbulence occurred at a time when meals were being served and passengers and crew were moving through the cabin, said passenger Susan Zimmerman, 34, quoted by AFP. Zimmerman, who is five months pregnant, said she had her seatbelt on and neither she nor her unborn baby was injured.
Passengers describe a terrifying Lufthansa flight from Austin to Germany when they suddenly ran into severe turbulence and fell 200 feet. On board were 172 passengers, including actor Matthew McConaughey, and 12 crew members. pic.twitter.com/ub2EwIbVvE
– CBS Evening News (@CBSeveningNews) March 3, 2023
The turbulence, which occurred 90 minutes after takeoff, led to an unplanned precautionary landing, Lufthansa said in a statement.
According to Scott Unger, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Nashville, “There was a lot of wind in the air, which could easily lead to the possibility of turbulence on any given flight.”
Turbulence was responsible for 37.6% of major aviation accidents between 2009 and 2018.
Source: DN
