Air Canada flight lands in Calgary after strong turbulence

The carrier said it was making arrangements to accommodate all the passengers from the flight and the CBC reported that the flight eventually did arrive at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport at 3 a.m. ET this morning.

Heading back to Toronto where she studies business management, Linda He described the experience as like being on a roller coaster.

“There was a pop can that actually landed on top of the overhead compartment and stayed up there, so we dropped quite a bit”, he said.

Passengers were warned before the turbulence hit, said Gord Murray, returning to Toronto from a business trip.

The airline said the passenger list indicated there were 332 passengers and 19 crew aboard the Boeing 777-300ER.

She praised Air Canada staff for helping injured passengers who had to wait an hour before the plane was able to land in Calgary.

Mass casualty protocol was enacted by the Emergency Medical Service with 15 ambulances dispatched to the airport.

“I was scared, really scared”, Linda He said. The passengers who didn’t or those who were sleeping and didn’t hear the message appeared to have suffered the most serious injuries.

Rahim Ladhani, an anchor and reporter with CTV Calgary, reported on Twitter that the turbulence “lasted a total of 45 minutes in waves ‘like a roller coaster.’ Oxygen masks came down and people started crying”.

“The only time the crew is going to tell you to put your seatbelt on is when they are unsure that it will remain calm and so they are trying to protect you”, said Parker. She said she was thinking only about her parents and siblings.

“Safety is always our first priority and so any incident involving the safety of our passengers and crew is of utmost concern”, said Klaus Goersch.

A 47-year-old Indo-Canadian man, who allegedly assaulted an Air Canada woman flight attendant while the Delhi-bound plane was over the Atlantic Ocean, has been charged on two counts, including endangering safety of an aircraft.