Seven people were injured after severe turbulence rocked a United Airlines flight on Wednesday, forcing it to make an emergency landing in Memphis, Tenn.
The aircraft, a Boeing 737-900, was flying from Cancun to Chicago when it encountered a “brief period of severe turbulence,” United Airlines said in a statement. One passenger was hospitalized and six others on board were injured.
“United Flight 1196 diverted to Memphis (Wednesday) afternoon after encountering a brief period of severe turbulence while the seatbelt sign was on,” the airline said. “Paramedics met the aircraft at the gate and transported one passenger to the hospital.
“We’re grateful to our crew for their efforts to ensure the safety of our employees and customers.”
The plane landed safely at Memphis International Airport around 2:50 p.m. It was carrying 172 passengers and seven crew members.
The extent of the hospitalized passenger’s injuries is unknown, the Memphis Fire Department said. The six others who were injured declined treatment.
The flight eventually resumed and the plane landed in Chicago later that evening two hours behind schedule.
Flight tracking data shows the plane circled briefly over northern Mississippi before landing in Memphis. The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane’s crew “reported severe turbulence over Louisiana.” The agency is investigating the incident.
The incident comes as reports of severe turbulence appear to be on the rise.
In May, one person died on board a Singapore Airlines flight that was hit by severe turbulence. Thirty people were injured. A passenger on board the flight said he saw people being launched into the ceiling of the Boeing 777, leaving dents in the overhead baggage holds after the plane suddenly dropped in altitude.
A recent study from the University of Reading found that flights are experiencing more severe turbulence due to climate change. Over the North Atlantic, one of the world’s busiest flight corridors, the total duration of severe turbulence increased by 55 per cent between 1979 and 2020.
“Airlines will need to start thinking about how they will manage the increased turbulence, as it costs the industry (US$150–500 million) annually in the USA alone,” PhD researcher and lead author Mark Prosser said. “Every additional minute spent travelling through turbulence increases wear-and-tear on the aircraft, as well as the risk of injuries to passengers and flight attendants.”
The increase in turbulence is consistent with previous research on the effects of climate change, which found that warmer air increases wind shear (change in wind speed and direction), which can cause flight turbulence.