An Air Europa Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner encountered “strong turbulence” and was forced to make an emergency landing in Brazil, with 30 individuals reported injured, according to reports.
The incident occurred on Flight UX045, which was en route from Madrid to Montevideo, when the aircraft experienced unexpected turbulence over the Atlantic near the Brazilian coast.
The Spanish airline confirmed on X, formerly Twitter, that the flight was diverted to Natal in north-eastern Brazil. Despite the mid-air disturbance, the aircraft managed a normal landing and was promptly met by medical personnel. Emergency services were on site to attend to the injured passengers.
Of the 325 passengers aboard, those injured were swiftly taken to local medical facilities. A local medical team reported to Brazilian media that they had attended to at least 30 passengers of diverse nationalities. Ten of these individuals required hospitalization for injuries ranging from cranial fractures to facial cuts.
This recent occurrence echoes a similar episode involving a Singapore Airlines flight over Myanmar, which also experienced severe turbulence, resulting in multiple injuries and a fatality. These incidents have ignited discussions regarding the potential link between climate change and an increase in turbulence intensity, posing new challenges for airline safety protocols.