Durgapur: Dozens of passengers were wounded when a SpiceJet flight from Mumbai to Durgapur fell into a storm (turbulence) at the time of descent at the Kazi Nazrul Islam airport ( also known as Andal airport) in West Bengal's West Bardhaman district on Sunday evening, official sources said on Monday.
As many as 40 passengers have received injuries of various degrees during the turbulence. Of them 10 wounded had been taken to a nearby nursing home for treatment, they added.
"Among the wounded was a cabin crew, as about 14 passengers were injured in the incident. A few of them have head injuries and have received stitches. One passenger has also complained of a spinal injury,” a media report quoting Director General of Civil Aviation Arun Kumar as saying.
A SpiceJet official said the 189-seater Boeing 737-800 aircraft ran into a storm while landing, which created panic among the passengers as cabin baggage fell on many of them, causing injuries, including on the head.
Sources in the Airports Authority said the aircraft had 188 passengers.
Some passengers suffered head injuries and were quickly shifted to a hospital. Doctors reported they are stable now and out of danger.
The aircraft was to land around 1915 hours when the cyclonic storms hit the area into the landing point.
Trinamool Congress MLA from Ballygunge Babul Supriyo expressed distress at the happening. "Extremely distressed to hear this.. Relieved there isn't any fatality & severely injured passengers have been taken to the hospital @flyspicejet Mumbai-Durgapur flight suffers severe turbulence; several passengers injured, hospitalised," Babul tweeted.
"The aircraft managed to land safely and those injured were given medical assistance and taken to the nearest hospital if needed, SpiceJet," said Babul said on his twitter account with a picture of a SpriceJet aircraft. (UNI)