Passengers on Qatar Airways jet hit by turbulence show ripped clothes & describe staff hitting ceiling after 12 injured
A PASSENGER onboard the Qatar Airways flight that was struck by extreme turbulence leaving 12 injured showed how his clothes had been ripped in the chaos.
The flight from Doha to Dublin suddenly plummeted hundreds of feet over Turkey with eight of those injured being rushed to hospital from the runway in Ireland.
Those travelling on the jet described the terrifying scene as flight attendants were reportedly thrown in the air leaving them with horror injuries.
Speaking to the Irish news channel RTE, a passenger showed how his shorts had been ripped during the shock turbulence.
The traveller named Cathal said: “It was atrocious…never again.”
Another passenger Emma Rose Power said: “There was panic, the of panic everywhere.
“Some of the flight attendants had scratches to their faces, ice on their face. One girl had a sling on her arm.”
Eileen, who was on board with her partner Tony, described how he held her down in her seat to stop her from flying into the ceiling as she slept with a seatbelt on.
She told RTE: “It was so scary. I am not in a hurry to get back on a plane I can tell you.”
Eileen added that she was just “relieved to make it home okay”.
Traveller Myla said she thought it “was the end” when the jet plunged in mid-air.
Others described feeling the plane suddenly drop for around five seconds as staff served food to those onboard.
It appeared that the shock turbulence was a total surprise to the pilots as the seatbelt sign was not deployed at the time.
Emergency service rushed to Dublin airport on Sunday after the plane began violently shaking over Turkey around two hours into the flight.
Six crew and six passengers were injured in the plunge before eight were rushed to hospital after flight QR017 landed shortly after 1pm.
In a statement, Qatar Airways told The Sun: “Qatar Airways can confirm that flight QR017 a Boeing B787-9 from Doha to Dublin has landed safely.
“A small number of passengers and crew sustained minor injuries in flight and are now receiving medical attention.
“The matter is now subject to an internal investigation. The safety and security of our passengers and crew are our top priority.”
Graeme McQueen, media relations manager at daa, the operator of Dublin Airport, told Sky News: “Upon landing, the aircraft was met by emergency services, including Airport Police and our Fire and Rescue department, due to six passengers and six crew [12 total] on board reporting injuries after the aircraft experienced turbulence while airborne over Turkey.
“The Dublin Airport team continues to provide full assistance on the ground to passengers and airline staff.”
An internal investigation regarding the incident has now been launched.
It comes just days after a Singapore Airlines Boeing jet plunged 7,000ft in a six-minute death drop.
Those onboard the flight that killed Brit granddad Geoff Kitchen, 73, recalled “doing somersaults” while others were “launched into the ceiling”.
Flight SQ321 took off from London Heathrow shortly after 10pm on Monday with 211 passengers and 18 crew on board – including 47 Brits.