BTN News: An Air Europa flight from Madrid to Montevideo faced very bad turbulence on Monday. This made the plane land urgently in Brazil. Many passengers got hurt and needed quick medical help. This event made people worry about flight safety and how climate change affects air travel.
Severe Turbulence Causes Emergency Landing and Injuries to Many Passengers
On Monday, an Air Europa Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with 325 passengers had very bad turbulence. The plane was flying from Madrid to Montevideo. The turbulence was so bad that the plane had to land urgently at Natal International Airport in northeast Brazil. Local authorities said the plane landed at 2:32 AM local time. Many ambulances were waiting at the airport. The health department of Rio Grande do Norte said that 40 passengers were taken to hospitals in Natal. Most of them had minor injuries. Eleven people were still in hospital by the afternoon. Five were in private clinics and six were in Monsenhor Walfredo Gurgel Hospital.
Details of the Incident and Personal Experiences Shared by the Passengers
Passengers on the flight were from many countries like Spain, Argentina, Uruguay, Israel, Bolivia, and Germany. They shared their scary experiences. Claudio Fernández Arbes, a 43-year-old psychologist from Uruguay, said the turbulence felt like a fall, not just shaking. He said people and things were thrown around. A child got stuck in an overhead compartment. The cabin was full of blood and screams. Arbes said a passenger had a heart attack and a woman broke her hip. Doctors on the plane helped the injured people. The fear and uncertainty lasted for 40 to 50 minutes until the plane landed in Natal. Passengers did not know if the flight would continue to Montevideo, which made them more worried.
Air Europa’s Response and How Passengers Were Moved to Safety
Air Europa sent a new plane from Madrid to take the stranded passengers. Most of the passengers reached Montevideo on Tuesday. Six passengers stayed in hospital in Natal. The airline said the turbulence caused different levels of injuries. Seven people had serious injuries and many had minor bruises. The affected passengers were taken by bus to Recife, about 290 kilometers south of Natal. From there, they flew to Montevideo. Passengers were unhappy with the airline’s poor communication and lack of support after the incident. Mariela Jodal, a passenger, wrote on social media that she avoided serious injury by wearing her seatbelt. She also criticized the crew for leaving passengers stranded at the airport.
Future Implications and Concerns About Air Travel Safety
The rise in severe turbulence incidents is a big worry for air travel. Scientists say the increase in clear-air turbulence is due to climate change. Studies show a 17% rise in such turbulence between 1979 and 2020. The most severe cases increased by over 50%. This Air Europa incident shows the need for airlines to improve their response and communication during emergencies. It also shows the importance of tackling climate change to keep air travel safe.
Conclusion
The emergency landing of Air Europa Flight UX045 in Brazil due to severe turbulence is a strong reminder of the problems facing air travel today. With climate change making turbulence worse, airlines must focus on passenger safety and communication during such events. This incident calls for strong action to solve the issues and ensure passenger safety in the future.
