Severe Turbulence Injures Five on United Airlines Flight

By Michelle Watson (CNN) – Turbulence on a United Airlines flight traveling into Houston Monday morning sent at least five people to the hospital, airport authorities said in an email to CNN.

United Airlines flight 128 landed at George Bush Intercontinental Airport around 5:30 a.m. local time after traveling from Río de Janeiro, public information officer Augusto Bernal told CNN.

“The flight experienced severe turbulence that resulted in five passengers being transported to the hospital once it landed in Houston,” Bernal said.

The airline said in a statement that the turbulence was unexpected.

“United flight 128 encountered unexpected turbulence while en route to Houston. Upon arrival, two passengers and three crew members were met by medical personnel and taken to a local hospital with minor injuries,” the statement said.

“We’re grateful to our crew for their efforts to ensure the safety of our employees and customers.”

The United flight comes a day after severe turbulence on a Hawaiian Airlines flight led to dozens of injuries.

On Sunday, at least 36 people on Hawaiian Airlines Flight 35 were injured, according to Honolulu Emergency Medical Services, sending 20 people to emergency rooms. The plane encountered the rough air 30 minutes before landing in Honolulu.

In October, a LATAM Airlines plane was damaged by extreme turbulence while traveling from Santiago, Chile, to Asunción, Paraguay, and had to make an emergency landing at Silvio Pettirossi International Airport on Wednesday after experiencing “severe weather conditions during its flight path,” the airline said in a statement.

The-CNN-Wire

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