Only two injured by turbulence, airline says

A passenger and a flight attendant were injured on Monday on a flight from Shanghai to Beijing after their plane ran into unexpected turbulence, contrary to rumors that more had been hurt during the incident, according to Air China.

The airline said in a statement on Tuesday that Flight CA1524, which took place aboard an A330-300 aircraft, encountered clear-air turbulence, which occurs without visual clues.

The captain reminded passengers to ensure their seat belts were fastened to avoid being injured. The pilots and the cabin crew followed procedures and took all necessary measures to ensure the safety of passengers, Air China said.

The statement was issued to counter claims made by numerous internet users that the flight had encountered significant turbulence that resulted in multiple injuries.

Air China confirmed that only one passenger and one crew member were injured, and once the plane landed safely at 5:18 pm in Beijing, the airline immediately dispatched personnel to accompany them to the hospital. The airline expressed concern and condolences and vowed to continue to prioritize safety and provide excellent service.

Some passengers on the flight shared their experiences online.

A netizen called SummerVapour Xiazhimeng wrote on his account on Sina Weibo, China's Twitter-like social media platform, that the experience was far scarier than words could express, and he did not want to recall the details. But he shared some heartwarming moments.

"After the turbulence, the crew requested the aid of any medical professionals aboard. A passenger stood up and helped the injured passenger," he wrote.

"After the airplane landed, some passengers got onto the floor to help others look for lost mobile phones and earphones. They found a lot of phones."

The netizen also expressed gratitude to the crew.

"The professional crew made everyone feel safe from danger, and we had an unforgettable journey," he wrote.

According to Veryzhun, a real-time flight tracker, Flight CA1524 continued operating on a Boeing 747 on Tuesday. It took off from Shanghai and landed in Beijing in the afternoon.

According to the Central Meteorological Observatory, clear-air turbulence usually occurs on sunny days. Such turbulence is not accompanied by obvious weather phenomena, so it is difficult to observe and detect and it poses a huge threat to flight safety.

Wu Mingxiang, a flight captain, told Beijing Evening News that clear-air turbulence is unexpected and said that passengers should fasten their seat belts while sitting. People who are injured when turbulence hits are usually the ones who are not wearing seat belts, he added.

Chen Jianguo, who also captains flights, told news outlet ThePaper.cn that when turbulence occurs, passengers do not need to panic. Keeping their seat belts fastened is the safest precautionary measure, regardless of whether the seat belt indicator light is on.