A SpiceJet flight operating Sunday evening from Mumbai to Durgapur in West Bengal underwent severe turbulence that resulted in mild to serious injuries to at least 12 passengers on board the Boeing 737-800 At least 40 people on board a SpiceJet flight from Mumbai to Durgapur in West Bengal on Sunday evening have suffered injuries.
The aircraft took off from Mumbai a few minutes after 5 pm on Sunday and was on its approach to Durgapur’s Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport after a two-hour flight when it encountered severe turbulence. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has deployed a multi-disciplinary team to carry out a regulatory investigation into the incident.
Even after severe turbulence, the 189-seater aircraft landed safely at Durgapur at 7:15 PM following which the injured passengers were provided medical attention. The cabin crew also sustained some head and spinal injuries while attempting to bring the situation under control.
What happens during turbulence?
Turbulence means disruption of airflow over the wings of an airplane which causes it to enter irregular vertical motion.
Very common modes of turbulence endured in flights are as follows:
1. Weather-related turbulence: When the plane encounters rough weather and flies through a thunderstorm or heavy cloud.
2. Clean air turbulence: Mainly caused by wind or jet streams.
3. Breaking wave and rotor turbulence:
4. Thermal lift
Turbulence: Are they dangerous?
Turbulence is dangerous but completely depends on the nature and intensity of turbulence. Aircraft always endure some form of turbulence and pilots are given proper training to handle these circumstances.
There’ve been cases where turbulences have brought down modern jetliners. Along with intense turbulence and lack of proper training, poor dissemination of wind/weather also plays a huge role in these mishaps.
Investigation
As a standard practice, the investigation will focus on several factors to ascertain why it was that the incident caused severe injuries to the passengers. These include the weather conditions when the plane encountered turbulence, whether or not the pilots were caught unprepared when they encountered the turbulence and whether they asked the cabin crew to prepare for incoming disturbance.
Notably, the passenger charter of rights issued by the ministry of civil aviation in 2019, says for domestic flights in case of death or bodily injury to a passenger on-board an aircraft, the airline is liable to pay up to Rs. 20 lakh per passenger.
Edited By: Vanshika Sahu
Published By: Raj Kishor
