Passengers aboard a Delta flight from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam said they feared for their lives as it plummeted over 1,500 feet before making an emergency landing.
At least 25 people were injured as Delta flight 56 was diverted to Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport around 5.30pm on Wednesday, two hours into its eight-hour journey.
Delta confirmed in a statement that severe turbulence rocked the aircraft, with witnesses describing how its impact threw people into the air as beverage carts crashed around inside the cabin.
An image from inside the aircraft showed food and drinks strewn across the rear of the jet, as passengers said flight attendants were swept off their feet.
‘I just saw everything fly through the air,’ passenger Joseph Carbone told Fox Salt Lake City. ‘I’ve never experienced anything like that.’
Carbone said the Delta jet was hit with a wave of turbulence that sent people flying, before a second and third wave of turbulence battered the aircraft, and ‘each one got worse.’
Data from flight tracking site FlightAware showed that the plane plummeted over 1,500 feet in a minute.
At least 25 people were taken to hospital after the emergency landing, with reported injuries including a broken leg and fractured ribs.
Passengers aboard a Delta flight from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam said they feared for their lives as it plummeted over 1500 feet, sending flight attendants and beverage carts into the air before making an emergency landing
At least 25 people were injured as Delta flight 56 was diverted to Minneapolis/ St. Paul International Airport around 5:30pm on Wednesday, two hours into its eight-hour journey
Passenger LeeAnn Clement-Nash told ABC News that she was left terrified after witnessing dozens of people being thrown into the air, and feared the jet was going to crash land.
‘If you didn’t have your seatbelt on, everyone that didn’t, hit the ceiling and fell to the ground.
‘And the carts also hit the ceiling and fell to the ground, and people were injured. That happened several times, so it was pretty scary,’ she said.
‘There was a moment where we thought we were going down, I’m still very shaken from it, it was very scary.
‘One young lady in particular I believe she got thrown up twice and landed on people, I believe she ended up with some fractured ribs.’
Her partner, who had been travelling with her, described feeling the plane ‘rise rapidly up about 500ft and then somewhat of a nosedive very rapidly down about 1,500ft.’
A total of 275 passengers and 13 crew members were on board at the time of the mid-flight catastrophe.
Passenger Leeann Clement-Nash said that dozens of people were seen being thrown into the air when the plane was hit by the turbulence, adding: ‘There was a moment where we thought we were going down, I’m still very shaken from it, it was very scary’
Delta said that the aircraft, seen making its emergency landing in Minneapolis on Wednesday, was rocked by severe turbulence that sent passengers flying into the air and beverage carts strewn through the cabin
Flight data showed that the plane plummeted over 15000 feet in a minute when the jet was battered by turbulence just two hours into its eight-hour flight
The Minneapolis-St. Paul Fire Department and paramedics met the shaken passengers off the jet after it made the emergency landing.
Carbone said that he believes some of the injuries to his fellow passengers were ‘serious’, but their exact conditions are not yet clear.
‘From now on, when I’m not up going to the bathroom or doing something, I’ll be in my seat with my seatbelt on,’ he added. ‘You learn that lesson real fast.
‘I’m very grateful that we are safe and sound by the grace of God… we’re here.’
A Delta spokesperson said after the incident: ‘We are grateful for the support of all emergency responders involved.
‘Safety is our No. 1 value at Delta and our Delta Care Team is working directly with customers to support their immediate needs.’
Delta did not immediately respond to a request for further information on the status of the injured passengers.