12 injured after turbulence hits Qatar Airways flight to Dublin, says airport

DUBLIN – Twelve people travelling on a Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Ireland were injured during a bout of turbulence, Dublin Airport said on May 26, adding that the plane landed safely and as scheduled.

Flight QR017, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, landed shortly before 1pm Dublin time, the airport said.

“Upon landing, the aircraft was met by emergency services, including airport police and our fire and rescue department, due to six passengers and six crew on board reporting injuries after the aircraft experienced turbulence while airborne over Turkey,” Dublin Airport said in a statement.

Irish broadcaster RTE, citing passengers arriving at Dublin Airport, said the incident lasted less than 20 seconds and occurred during food and drinks service.

A passenger Cathal told RTE News that the turbulence happened when the seatbelt sign was off. His dinner came off his lap and his shorts were torn.

Another passenger Conor said he felt the plane dip for about five seconds, and saw a flight attendant went “up in the air and straight back down”.

His companion Emma said she saw flight attendants with scratches on their faces and “the look of panic on everyone’s face”.

Qatar Airways said in a statement that a “small number” of passengers and crew members sustained minor injuries during the flight and were receiving medical attention.

The airline did not directly comment on the turbulence, but said the matter is subject to an internal investigation.

The incident took place five days after a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore was forced to land in Bangkok due to severe turbulence, which killed a 73-year-old British man and left 20 others in intensive care.

Turbulence-related airline accidents are the most common type, according to a 2021 study by the US National Transportation Safety Board.

From 2009 through 2018, the US agency found that turbulence accounted for more than a third of reported airline accidents and most resulted in one or more serious injuries, but no aircraft damage.

“It was really scary”.
Passengers on a flight from Qatar to Ireland describe the moment they experienced turbulence while airborne over Turkey during the food and drinks service. Six passengers and six cabin crew were injured during the turbulence | https://t.co/XkruwzQHZa pic.twitter.com/PfX3vKbCF9

— RTÉ News (@rtenews) May 26, 2024

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