Qatar Airways Flight Experiences Severe Turbulence, Injuring 12 Passengers

(CTN News) – Twelve individuals were hurt when a Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Dublin encountered turbulence on Sunday.

The flight, which arrived in Dublin shortly before 1pm local time, was met by emergency personnel, including airport police and the fire and rescue department.

Qatar Airways Flight QR107 Incident

According to a Dublin Airport statement, six passengers and six crew members were hurt in the incident. The Qatar Airways aircraft QR107 encountered turbulence while flying over Turkey.

Dublin Airport said it was supporting passengers and staff while maintaining normal operations.

Qatar Airways told CNN that the flight arrived safely in Dublin but that “a small number of passengers and crew sustained minor injuries in flight and are now receiving medical attention.”

Climate change could make turbulence worse.

“The matter is now subject to an internal investigation,” the statement stated. “The safety and security of our passengers and crew are our top priority.”

This comes after 104 passengers were hurt, and a man with a heart ailment died on a Singapore Airlines flight that experienced extreme turbulence.

According to flight tracking data, Flight SQ321 from London to Singapore saw a steep dip before ascending several hundred feet. It then dipped and climbed for around a minute.

Around 65,000 airplanes in the United States experience moderate turbulence yearly, with approximately 5,500 encountering severe turbulence. However, these figures may continue to rise.

Paul Williams, an atmospheric science professor at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom, told CNN in 2022 that he believes climate change is changing turbulence.

“We ran some computer simulations and found that severe turbulence could double or triple in the coming decades,” Williams stated.

The findings, later validated by observations, emphasize a type of turbulence known as “clear air turbulence,” which is unrelated to any visual cues such as storms or clouds. Unlike typical turbulence, it strikes unexpectedly and is difficult to escape.

Singapore Airlines flight on Tuesday encountered fast-developing thunderstorms rather than clear air turbulence. It is unclear what type of turbulence the Qatar Airways plane experienced.