Passengers aboard a Qatar Airways flight that encountered severe turbulence while approaching Dublin Airport have shared harrowing accounts of the terrifying ordeal, which left 12 people injured and eight hospitalized. The turbulence, described as lasting a mere five seconds, sent flight attendants airborne and scattered food and beverages throughout the cabin, leaving many fearing for their lives.
One passenger, returning from Perth, Australia, recounted having to grab onto the seat in front of him and hastily fasten his seatbelt as the chaos unfolded. Another passenger, Eileen, shared that her partner had to hold her down as she had been napping without a seatbelt, describing it as the worst experience she’d ever had on a flight.
Cathal, who witnessed his meal flying off his lap, revealed that the turbulence was so intense that it ripped his shorts. Paul Mocc, another passenger, depicted a scene of people hitting the ceiling and refreshments scattered throughout the cabin. He commended the flight attendants for their professionalism, despite witnessing them limping with bandages after the incident.
Conor, returning from Thailand, vividly described the flight attendants being launched into the air as the plane suddenly dropped. Emma recalled the palpable fear and stress etched on the faces of fellow passengers during the harrowing turbulence.
Initially, Dublin Airport reported that six passengers and six crew members had been injured while the flight was over Turkey. In an updated statement, the airport confirmed that all passengers were assessed for injuries before disembarking, with eight ultimately being taken to the hospital.
Passengers praised the air stewards for their handling of the situation, despite the panic that rippled through the cabin as food and drinks went flying. Qatar Airways acknowledged the incident, stating that a “small number” of passengers and crew sustained minor injuries and that an internal investigation is underway.
The incident follows a recent tragic event when a British man died from a suspected heart attack after experiencing extreme turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight from Heathrow to Singapore, leaving over 70 people injured.
Additionally, Qatar Airways faced a near-catastrophic incident in February 2022 when one of its Boeing Dreamliners nearly crashed into the Persian Gulf after encountering a sudden loss of altitude shortly after taking off from Doha.