At least 30 people aboard an Air Europa Boeing 787-9 were injured when the plane hit turbulence over Brazil on Monday. The aircraft was on its way from Madrid to Montevideo, Uruguay, but diverted after the unbelted occupants hit the ceiling in an abrupt altitude change. One man went through a ceiling panel and had to be helped back down by other passengers.
“Our flight UX045 bound for Montevideo has been diverted to the Natal airport (in Brazil) due to strong turbulence,” Air Europa said in social media posts. “The plane has landed normally and those who sustained different types of injuries are already being treated.” It’s not clear if crew members were among those hurt. Passengers told various new agencies the injuries included fractures along with injuries to arms, faces and legs. The Spanish airline has sent another plane to take the unhurt passengers to Uruguay.
