At least seven people were sent to the hospital on Wednesday evening after a Lufthansa flight from Austin to Frankfurt hit severe clear air turbulence around 90 minutes into the flight as the Airbus A330 was flying at around 37,000 over Tennessee.
Photos and videos shared on social media showed debris strewn around the cabin after the aircraft suddenly ‘plummeted’ without warning. At the point the turbulence struck, the main meal service was still in full swing and the seatbelt signs were switched off.
Lufthansa flight LH469 departed Austin at around 5 pm on Wednesday but was forced to make an emergency diversion to Washington Dulles where emergency first responders were waiting to meet the aircraft.
One passenger told NBC4 how a flight attendant was flung towards the ceiling while he was standing in the aisle serving drinks. The force was so strong that the flight attendant was ‘horizontal’ as he fell from the ceiling towards the floor.
Images shared by some passengers showed meals, drinks and other debris strewn across the cabin floor.
Another passenger told the Washington Post that his seatmate had to be taken off the aircraft in a wheelchair and was heavily bleeding from injuries sustained during the 20 seconds of severe turbulence.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed it was investigating the incident but provided no further details about the extent of the injuries of those onboard.
