The unfortunate incident occurred on Wednesday, marking the latest in a series of similar events to affect the aviation industry, The Guardian reports.
A United Airlines flight, originating from Cancun, Mexico, and bound for Chicago, encountered an unexpected and intense episode of severe turbulence, resulting in injuries to seven passengers and necessitating an unscheduled emergency landing in Memphis.
The unfortunate incident occurred on Wednesday, marking the latest in a series of similar events to affect the aviation industry, The Guardian reports.
According to the airline, the Boeing 737 aircraft was severely impacted by the adverse weather conditions, leading to the premature termination of the flight.
One of the injured individuals required immediate medical attention and was subsequently transported to a local hospital.
“United flight 1196 diverted to Memphis … after encountering a brief period of severe turbulence while the seatbelt sign was on … Paramedics met the aircraft at the gate and transported one passenger to the hospital,” the airline said in a statement.
In an incident that occurred in May, a Singapore Airlines flight was severely impacted by intense turbulence, resulting in the tragic loss of one passenger and injuries to 71 others.
The aircraft experienced a precipitous drop of 54 meters in altitude within a mere five seconds, prompting an emergency diversion to Bangkok for an urgent landing.
While such catastrophic events are relatively rare, experts posit that severe turbulence may be evolving into a more pervasive and menacing threat in the face of the escalating global climate crisis and shifting weather patterns.
In March, then Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun announced that he would leave the beleaguered company at the end of the year amid a major management shakeup.
He, however, left on August 7, 2024.
Aerospace veteran Robert Kelly Ortberg became Boeing’s new CEO on Thursday, August 8, 2024.
His mission is to restore the reputation of a U.S. manufacturing company.
Boeing has been buffeted by more than five years of problems with its aeroplanes, including two fatal crashes of the 737 Max in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people.
The problems have led to multiple groundings for safety issues and more than $31 billion in cumulative losses.