Sunday, September 21, 2008

China Airlines cabin crew injured in turbulence incident near Bali

China AirlinesA number of passengers and cabin crew were injured on Saturday, September 20, 2008, when a China Airlines Boeing 747-400 aircraft encountered severe turbulence while en route from Taipei to Denpasar, Bali. The aircraft, operating as China Airlines Flight CI 687, was in Malaysian airspace when clear air turbulence caused it to drop several thousand feet. The incident occurred about 30 minutes prior to landing, according to news reports.

At least 30 people among the 339 passengers and 19 crew on board were injured. The Taiwan News quoted a China Airlines spokesman who said that six people with serious injuries, including four cabin crew members, were admitted to a hospital in Bali for treatment. Although the extent of their injuries has not been confirmed, several news reports mentioned skeletal fractures and neck injuries.