Yet another flight encounters severe turbulence leading to injuries, this time in New Zealand

NEW ZEALAND: Yet another flight has encountered severe turbulence, resulting in injuries to a passenger and a crew member, in the wake of a deadly incident involving a Singapore Airlines flight last month.

The latest incident occurred on board an Air New Zealand flight on Sunday (June 16).

The affected flight, NZ607, was a routine domestic service from Wellington to Queenstown, operated by one of Air New Zealand’s Airbus A320-200s, registered ZK-OXH.

The aircraft departed Wellington International Airport at 2:02 pm local time and climbed to a cruising altitude of 34,000 feet (10,363 meters) as it headed south to its destination.

According to Australian press reports, the turbulence struck unexpectedly as the flight crew conducted a beverage service. A pot of hot coffee overturned, spilling onto a female passenger causing burns.

Simultaneously, a crew member was thrown against the cabin ceiling due to the aircraft’s sudden drop. Both individuals were reported to be in moderate condition following the incident.

Upon landing at Queenstown International Airport at 3:12 pm, paramedics boarded the plane to provide immediate medical attention to the injured.

Both were subsequently transported to Lakes District Hospital for further treatment. The New Zealand Herald cited Hato Hone St John’s Ambulance Service, confirming the transfer and condition of the patients.

Eyewitnesses described the chaos during the turbulence:

“The flight attendants were bringing the coffee/tea out, and the full coffee pot poured over a lady passenger,” one passenger told Crux.

“She received burns, and a paramedic attended to her. Then much later, once we landed in Queenstown, the lady passenger got sent to the hospital in an ambulance. She had some blistering,” the passenger added.

Another witness likened the turbulence to a rollercoaster:

“One of the cabin crew told us how she was standing and went up and hit the ceiling. I have never had such sudden, full-on turbulence on my travels.

The jolting and dropping, tilting slightly sideways, felt like those parts where you go on a rollercoaster and start dropping down, then boost back up. It was sudden and caught all by surprise. No coffee/tea was served for the rest of the flight.”

Captain David Morgan, Air New Zealand’s Chief Operational Integrity and Safety Officer, issued a statement acknowledging the injuries and the airline’s concern for the well-being of the affected individuals.

“We regret this unfortunate event and are providing full support to our passengers and crew members involved,” he said.

This incident is part of a growing concern over turbulence-related injuries in aviation.

It follows closely on the heels of a serious turbulence event involving a Singapore Airlines flight (SQ321) on May 20 from London Heathrow to Singapore, which resulted in numerous injuries and one fatality.

In the wake of the incident, Singapore Airlines has revised its food and beverage services protocol, suspending them whenever the seatbelt sign is illuminated.

Experts suggest severe turbulence may become more frequent as climate change alters atmospheric conditions.

Environmental scientists have warned that global warming could lead to more unpredictable weather patterns, increasing the likelihood of turbulence.

As a precaution, passengers are advised to keep their seatbelts fastened throughout flights, even when the seatbelt sign is off. /TISG