Atleast 12 passengers and three flight attendant suffered injuires after the Spicejet Boeing B737, en route Durgapur, West Bengal from Mumbai encountered severe turbulence while descednig for landing on Sunday evening amidst extreme weather conditions.
On Monday morning, the DGCA ordered a probe into the incident as there seems no confirmation yet weather the ATC or the pilot in charge were informed of the approaching storm locally known as Kalbaisakhi.
Some of the passengers sustained head injuries and received stitches, while one passenger said he suffered a spinal injury in the mishap,” the DGCA said.
We are deputing teams for regulatory investigation, while medical reports of the injured passengers are awaited,” it added
According to sources, passengers on board toppled as the pilot gasped to take control of the aircraft. Sharing their terryfing experiences, the passengers who sustained injuries said despite complying with the flight crew’s instruction and tightly strapped- the unwary storm jostled them very hard in their seats.
Flyers were tossed about like ragdolls and a few even fell out of their seats, a passenger named Mohammad Iqbal recounted. While lauding the pilot’s efforts to steer the plane, he said there was only so much that a human could do against the force of nature.
Out of 12, those with minor injuries were discharged. The severely injured a receiving treatment sources added.