Turbulent flight leaves 30 passengers bruised
ROME (AP) - An airliner flying from Havana to Milan abruptly plunged some 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) when it hit unusually strong turbulence over the Atlantic on Monday, terrifying passengers and leaving some 30 people aboard with bruises and scrapes, airline officials said.
The flight continued to Milan's Malpensa airport after the plane's captain determined that it suffered no structural damage and two passengers who are physicians found no serious injuries, Giulio Buzzi, head of the pilots division at Neos Air, told Sky TG24 TV.
The ANSA news agency quoted bruised passenger Edoardo De Lucchi as saying meals were being served when suddenly there was "10 seconds of terror." He recounted how plates went flying and some passengers not wearing seatbelts bounced about.
Buzzi had said that the drop measured some 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) in a cloudless sky. But Milan daily's Corriere della Sera's web site, quoting Neos official Davide Martini, later reported that the plane first bounced up some 500 meters (1,650 feet), then dropped some 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) to some 500 meters (1,650 feet) below the original altitude.
The flight continued to Milan's Malpensa airport after the plane's captain determined that it suffered no structural damage and two passengers who are physicians found no serious injuries, Giulio Buzzi, head of the pilots division at Neos Air, told Sky TG24 TV.
The ANSA news agency quoted bruised passenger Edoardo De Lucchi as saying meals were being served when suddenly there was "10 seconds of terror." He recounted how plates went flying and some passengers not wearing seatbelts bounced about.
Buzzi had said that the drop measured some 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) in a cloudless sky. But Milan daily's Corriere della Sera's web site, quoting Neos official Davide Martini, later reported that the plane first bounced up some 500 meters (1,650 feet), then dropped some 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) to some 500 meters (1,650 feet) below the original altitude.
Glad no one was seriously injured. It's a sobering reminder that, while it may seems as if air travel has become routine, it is not. Hurtling a few tons of aluminum through the sky at 200mph is not like taking a bus. Flying is a tug of war between thrust and gravity, and occasionally gravity wins.Â
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Personally, unless I'm en route to the lavatory, my seatbelt is fastened.Â
@MarkKpic Actually, commercial airliners cruise at the equivalent of more like 500 miles per hour.
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit drinking.
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit smoking.
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue.
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit amphetamines.
 @DirtmanÂ
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HAHAHA, love the Airplane! reference. I was thinking of dropping a quote from that movie on here, but I didn't feel like thinking that hard.
I dont know if I'd ever get on a plane again after that one. I don't do well in elevators.
This is the reason that I ALWAYS have my belt loosely fastened while in my seat. Who want's to bounce off the overhead compartment if the plane hits an air pocket?
I would have shat myself.Turbulence is one of the reasons I hate flying.Metal tubes are not meant for flying in the air. *sarc*.I have to be heavily medicated to get on a airplane.
 @noneofyourbizznessÂ
Hahahahahaha! I said the EXACT same thing, "I would have shat myself" I absolutely HATE turbulence on planes, there is nothing that makes me sick and more nervous. I have to practically take horse tranquilizers just to make it from point-A to point-B.
@paulelijah I had a bad experience flying out of Palm Springs a few years ago.I haven't been on a plane since.
@paulelijah @noneofyourbizzness Oh, I can relate! That must have been miserable.Â
 @noneofyourbizzness  @paulelijahÂ
Yeah I don't blame you. I had a really bad experience on a plane that was ironically named "Calm Air" and the turbulence was so bad I almost hit the ceiling before I got my seatbelt on. Kids were screaming and crying, I was throwing up enough that I had to keep asking the flight attendant for extra air sick bags. It was basically the flight from hell, and I've not enjoyed flying ever since.
I can just imagine the *ding!* of the fasten seat belts sign right after the event, plates and passengers strewn about.
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