4 injured due to 'severe turbulence' on flight to Florida, officials say
Four people were injured on a flight from North Carolina to Florida on Wednesday because of "severe turbulence," officials said.
The crew on Allegiant Flight 227, which left Asheville Regional Airport, reported encountering the turbulence en route to St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
Allegiant confirmed in a statement that the flight, which was carrying 179 passengers and six crew members, "experienced severe turbulence before landing" and that paramedics evaluated two passengers and two flight attendants for their injuries upon landing.
According to FlightAware, the 70-minute flight left Asheville at 2:14 p.m. local time and, toward the end of the flight, dropped more than 8,000 feet in altitude over about two minutes.
A radio transmission from emergency medical personnel at the scene said there were "several head injuries and one possible broken ankle."
A passenger, Paul Harris, told NBC affiliate WFLA of Tampa that the turbulence caused "several people" who weren't wearing seat belts to hit the ceiling of the plane and that it caused the overhead bins to open up and break.
Another passenger, Lisa Spriggs, told the station that the turbulence was "petrifying" and claimed that she saw two people break their ankles, including a flight attendant whose "bone was protruding," she said.
Upon arriving in Clearwater, the plane "landed normally and taxied to the gate under its own power," and paramedics evaluated the four injured people and transported them to the hospital for further evaluation, Allegiant added.
Harris told WFLA that several people were taken off the plane on stretchers.
"We will continue to investigate the incident in coordination with the FAA and NTSB and will provide more information as soon as it becomes available," Allegiant said.
The FAA will investigate, according to the statement, which added that passengers should contact the airline to report any additional injuries.
Serious injuries due to turbulence are rare, affecting an average of about a dozen people a year since 2009, FAA data shows.
Turbulence can have various causes, including cold or warm weather fronts, thunderstorms, jet streams or atmosphere pressure, and it can occur when the sky appears to be clear, according to the FAA.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
