Eleven passengers hospitalised after severe turbulence on Delta flight: ‘Bunch of blood and awfulness’

The Federal Aviation Administration has since launched an investigation into the incident

(AFP via Getty Images)

Eleven people were taken to the hospital after an Atlanta-bound Delta flight hit turbulence.

The airline said in a statement that the flight travelling from Milan, Italy, experienced “severe turbulence” around 40 miles northeast of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The aircraft landed safely at around 7pm local time on Tuesday but several people had to be hospitalised.

A spokesperson for Delta told CNN that the flight carried 151 passengers and 14 crew members and that individuals but did not specify how many passengers were transported to the hospital.

The nature of the injuries those individuals sustained is unclear but are reportedly not life-threatening. The Federal Aviation Administration has since launched an investigation into the incident.

The flight landed 20 minutes ahead of schedule after the pilot declared an emergency. A woman who was onboard the flight told Fox5 that uninjured passengers waited two hours before they were allowed to deplane.

“Looked to be about 12 people with serious head injuries. Several flight attendants, too. Bunch of blood and awfulness,” that passenger told the network. “My fiancée and I are so freaked out, we are renting a car and driving to our final destination instead.”

“Delta Care Team members are mobilizing to connect with customers on Delta Flight 175 that experienced severe turbulence before landing safely in Atlanta Tuesday. Our priority is taking care of our customers and crew who sustained injuries,” Delta said in a statement.

“We are grateful for the first responders who met the aircraft to provide medical attention and who are transporting the injured to [the] hospital.”