Cabin crew hospitalised after ‘severe turbulence’ during flight

Severe turbulence during a flight this week led to crew members on board being taken to hospital in Australia.

The incident occurred on a plane operated by Australian low-cost airline Bonza, flying across the state of Queensland between Rockhampton and the Sunshine Coast on Tuesday (21 November).

The extent of the injuries and the exact number of people hurt has not been confirmed. The Independent has contacted the airline for further information.

Tim Jordan, chief executive of Bonza, confirmed that no customers were hurt.

“A flight from Rockhampton to the Sunshine Coast experienced unexpected and severe turbulence leading some Bonza crew members needing to be assessed at Sunshine Coast University Hospital,” he told The New Daily.

The priority “is always the safety of our staff and customers”, Mr Jordan added, stating that staff were able to return home last night.

The mid-air fright caused the cancellation of a flight from the Sunshine Coast to Mildura, in Victoria, while the aircraft was assessed.

Bonza is a new airline, having only started operations in January 2023. It has five aircraft in its fleet, according to Planespotters.net, and serves domestic and regional routes across Australia.

It’s not the only airline to have experienced severe turbulence this year.

In June, a British Airways flight from Singapore to London Heathrow hit such severe turbulence over the Bay of Bengal that the plane had to return to its starting point to check for possible damage. A mother-of-two described her terror after the plane was hit by the worst turbulence “in years” as it was flying at 30,000ft. She said it felt like she “fell out of the sky”.

Two months earlier, eight passengers and two crew members required medical assistance after severe turbulence struck a plane making its way to Portugal. The moment the turbulence first hit was caught on camera, showing people and food being thrown across the cabin.