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Passengers from diverted Air Europa flight recount turbulence ordeal

Travelers from an Air Europa flight diverted to northeastern Brazil due to severe turbulence on Monday said they feared for their lives throughout the occurrence which injured around 40 people, four of whom were taken to intensive care systems.

There are travelers with fractures and injuries to their arms, faces, and legs, one traveler informed in the Brazilian city of Natal, where flight UX045 from Madrid to the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo, made an unscheduled landing just after 2.30 a.m. regional time (0530 GMT).

It was a pretty dreadful sensation. We believed we were going to die there, stated the guy, Stevan, offering only his given name.

Another passenger, Maximiliano, said the aircraft - a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with 325 travelers on board - had suddenly begun to plunge.

From one moment to the next, the aircraft destabilized and entered into a dive, he stated. The people who didn't have seat belts went up in the air and hit the ceiling, and they got injured - those who had safety belt on, not a lot.

Air Europa said in a statement on Tuesday that 6 people were still in medical facility in Natal and were being helped by ground workers from Brazil and Spain.

Air Europa deeply regrets what happened, along with the inconvenience caused to its customers. The airline company hopes for a. rapid healing of the impacted guests and is at the. disposal of all its customers to assist them, the airline company. included.

The secretariat from the government of Rio Grande do Norte. state, where Natal is located, stated on Tuesday that four people. had been required to intensive care units, from an overall of 40. passengers that had actually been sent to medical facilities, up from some 30. at first reported on Monday.

Air Europa said a replacement flight to take the passengers. on to Montevideo had actually left previously in the day, with guests. transferred from Natal to Recife's larger airport by bus.

It added that the aircraft was being examined to establish. the degree of the damage.

The airline did not instantly react to a request for. additional remark about the event, which took place less than. 2 months after a guest passed away and dozens were hurt when. turbulence hit a Singapore Airlines flight from London to. Singapore.

Some researchers have warned of intensifying turbulence connected to. environment change.

The most typical reason for turbulence are unstable weather condition. patterns that set off storms. These can usually be identified by. weather condition radar, enabling pilots to fly around them.

Current occurrences have increased concern in the air travel. industry about seat belt and security practices.

A global agreement, the Montreal Convention, makes. airlines accountable for physical injuries from mishaps on. worldwide flights, which can include turbulence, regardless. of whether they were irresponsible.

(source: Reuters)