A woman who was among the 146 passengers on a JetBlue flight that was diverted to South Dakota due to awful turbulence says the scene inside the aircraft was “like a movie”.
Advertisement
Twenty-four people were taken to a hospital for evaluation after Flight 429, from Boston to Sacramento, California, experienced rough turbulence, airline spokeswoman Katherine McMillan said.
A cross-country jetBlue flight made an emergency landing in Rapid City Thursday evening after severe turbulence caused injuries to passengers and members of the flight crew. “It was just insane”, Lynam said Friday morning from a hotel in Rapid City, South Dakota, where the plane was diverted to the night before.
Lynam, of Pacific Grove, California, says suitcases fell out of overhead compartments. She says wallets, sunglasses and other items were all over the floor when the aircraft landed. “We are still kind of in shock”.
Another JetBlue spokesman said said all but 2 of the remaining passengers completed their flight on a second plane sent to Rapid City, landing in Sacramento after 5 am.
South Dakota news outlets report that 22 passengers and two crew members were taken to a local hospital but were all treated for minor injuries and released.
The National Transportation Safety Board have said they will investigate the incident.
A flight attendant was assisted off the plane by medical personnel. In rare cases, planes have fallen 200 feet or more.
Advertisement
Cox said the “very best thing” that passengers can do to enhance their safety is to keep their seat belts fastened during flight.
