Passengers sent to hospital after turbulence diverts Air

The Boeing 777 carrying 332 people was in the middle of a 14-hour flight from Shanghai in China to Toronto when it encountered rough conditions over Alaska on Wednesday afternoon, said the Calgary Herald.

Air Canada says 18 other people who were sent to hospital have been released.

Emergency officials told media in Calgary that the injuries ranged from minor, to neck and chest trauma, but no one suffered life-threatening injuries.

For the second time in as many days, a disturbance on board an Air Canada flight has ended with a passenger in custody in Toronto.

Speaking at South Health Campus, where his 11-year-old daughter Grace was being treated, Chang Wang said the girl received bruises to her head and was suffering back pain after she was thrown into the next row of seats during the journey.

Eyewitness Manveer Kaur, who was waiting to reboard the flight, said: “I saw the finger of the staff member, bleeding”.

She said some frequent flyers have also become desensitized to seatbelt instructions after turbulence warnings don’t lead to major bumps, but added passengers should still listen to the attendants.

TSB spokesperson Eric Collard said they will be conducting interviews Thursday with the flight and cabin crew.

“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 full investigation of the incident is being undertaken”, Air Canada said in a statement.

“I heard lots of people screaming, like what you would hear on a roller-coaster”, said Feng. Passengers were rebooked on another flight to Toronto.

“Suddenly the flight is just going down and everything is really scary”. In March, Air Canada Flight 624 crash landed in Halifax in snowy weather with 133 passengers and five crew.