Thursday, January 22, 2009

Turbulence injures Northwest flight attendant and several passengers

Northwest Airlines A330Eight passengers and one flight attendant were injured aboard a Northwest Airlines A330-300 aircraft that encountered turbulence above the Pacific Ocean, near Midway Island, earlier today. Four of the injured required medical treatment, including the flight attendant, who was hospitalized.

The incident occurred while Northwest Flight 22 was en route from Tokyo-Narita International Airport to Honolulu. When the aircraft arrived at Honolulu International Airport just after 08:00 AM local time this morning, January 22, 2009, a flight attendant who had suffered head and neck injuries was taken to a hospital, where she remains. Her condition is described as serious but stable, according to spokeswoman for the Hawaii Department of Transportation, quoted in media reports from Honolulu.

One passenger with a hip injury and another with arm and neck injuries were taken to a Honolulu hospital for treatment. A third passenger's injuries were treated at the airport. Five more passengers sustained minor injuries, such as bumps and bruises, that did not require medical attention.

[Photo Source]