A harrowing incident on Air Europa flight UX045 saw a passenger rescued after severe turbulence left him trapped near the plane’s luggage compartment. Eyewitness video captured the dramatic moment as crew members helped the man down following the turbulence, which caused around 30 injuries and led to an emergency landing.
The flight, traveling from Madrid to Montevideo, Uruguay, encountered the turbulence early Monday, forcing an unscheduled landing in Natal, Brazil, just after 2:30 a.m. local time. Passengers described the terrifying experience as the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner suddenly plunged.
Air Europa reported that six passengers remain hospitalized in Natal, receiving support from ground personnel from Brazil and Spain. Initially, 30 passengers were taken to local hospitals with minor injuries, according to the health secretariat of Rio Grande do Norte state.
A replacement flight was arranged to transport the passengers from Natal to Recife by bus, where they continued their journey to Montevideo. The affected aircraft is being reviewed to assess the damage caused by the turbulence.
This incident comes less than two months after turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight resulted in one fatality and numerous injuries. Air Europa has not yet provided further comments on the recent event.
