Twelve people were injured when a Qatar Airways Boeing 787 encountered severe turbulence on a flight from Doha to Dublin on Sunday, according to statements from the airline and airport authorities.
Qatar Airways flight QR-017, carrying passengers and crew, was cruising at 36,000 feet over Turkey about two hours after takeoff when it ran into the turbulence, Dublin Airport said.
Six passengers and six crew members sustained minor injuries and were given medical attention upon landing safely in Dublin around 1 PM local time.
Eight of the injured, whose identities were not released, were taken to hospitals, the airport statement said.
Meanwhile, the airline called the episode an “internal matter” under investigation, prioritizing passenger and crew safety.
Passenger Paul Mocc told Irish broadcaster RTE that he witnessed “people hitting the roof” and food and drinks went flying when the turbulence struck during meal service.
Another traveler, Emma Rose Power, said some crew had visible scratches and a flight attendant’s arm was in a sling.
The aircraft, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with registration A7-BHM, remained on the ground in Dublin for about three hours before departing for the return flight to Doha, according to The Aviation Herald’s report on the incident.
Turbulence encounters are relatively common but can prove dangerous, with moderate events affecting around 65,000 flights a year in the United States alone, according to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.
Some studies suggest climate change may increase incidents of severe clear-air turbulence that gives pilots little warning.
The Dublin incident came just days after over 100 people were injured, one fatally, when a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore was rocked by turbulence last Tuesday. Investigations into both events are ongoing.
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