More than a dozen passengers were injured during severe turbulence on an Aerolinas Argentinas flight between Miami and Buenos Aires, Argentina, according to the carrier.
“The incident occurred in the flight phase called ‘cruise’ and was immediately reported by the commander in charge of the aircraft,” Aerolinas Argentinas wrote, according to a translation. “The company arranged its medical equipment at the arrival of the flight to assist those passengers who suffered blows or bruises due to the sudden movements that this type of atmospheric conditions causes.”
Photos posted on social media also show that damage was done to the airplane’s interior.
Another photo shows trash and other debris littering the cabin floor.
One passenger posted a photo that looked like a bloodied napkin. The top of the cabin area of the plane appeared as if it were cracked open.
Aerolineas Argentinas said that once the turbulence ended, flight crew helped to assist injured passengers. Emergency medical staff came in an helped once the plane landed at Ministro Pistarini International Airport.
“Turbulence occurs when two air masses of different temperatures or different velocities collide,” the airliner wrote on its website. “These can produce sudden movements in the aircraft according to their intensity, although they do not in any way jeopardize the safety of the aircraft.”
