Dozens Injured in Emergency Landing of Air Europa Flight Due to Severe Turbulence

Natal, Brazil, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil Belize
Air Europa issued a statement confirming the emergency landing and expressing concern for those affected by the turbulence. The airline also stated that they were working to provide assistance and accommodations for passengers in Natal.
An Air Europa flight from Madrid to Montevideo was forced to make an emergency landing at Natal Airport in Brazil due to severe turbulence on July 1, 2024.
At least 40 people were treated for injuries, with ten being transported to hospitals in Natal.
It is important to wear seatbelts during flights, especially during periods of turbulence.
Passengers described a chaotic scene inside the cabin with some being thrown from their seats and others hitting their heads on ceilings or other hard surfaces.
The exact cause of the turbulence is not yet clear, but it is believed to have been related to a weather system over the Atlantic Ocean.
The incident left dozens of passengers injured, with some suffering from fractures and head injuries.
The incident marks the second time in less than a month that severe turbulence has caused injuries on a commercial flight.
Two women reported that a passenger was embedded in the plane's ceiling area after flying out of his seat during the turbulence. Another passenger described people falling on top of seats and other passengers.
Dozens Injured in Emergency Landing of Air Europa Flight Due to Severe Turbulence

An Air Europa flight from Madrid to Montevideo was forced to make an emergency landing at Natal Airport in Brazil due to severe turbulence on July 1, 2024. The incident left dozens of passengers injured, with some suffering from fractures and head injuries.

According to various reports, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner was carrying around 330 passengers when it encountered the turbulence over the Atlantic Ocean. Some sources indicate that at least 40 people were treated for injuries, with ten being transported to hospitals in Natal.

Passengers described a chaotic scene inside the cabin, with some being thrown from their seats and others hitting their heads on ceilings or other hard surfaces. Two women reported that a passenger was embedded in the plane's ceiling area after flying out of his seat during the turbulence. Another passenger described people falling on top of seats and other passengers.

The exact cause of the turbulence is not yet clear, but it is believed to have been related to a weather system over the Atlantic Ocean. The incident marks the second time in less than a month that severe turbulence has caused injuries on a commercial flight, following an incident involving a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore in late May.

Air Europa issued a statement confirming the emergency landing and expressing concern for those affected by the turbulence. The airline also stated that they were working to provide assistance and accommodations for passengers in Natal.

The incident is a reminder of the importance of wearing seatbelts during flights, especially during periods of turbulence. It also highlights the need for continued research into the causes and potential mitigation strategies for severe turbulence events.



Confidence

90%

Doubts
  • It's unclear how many passengers were injured in total.
  • The exact cause of the turbulence is not yet clear.

Sources

89%

  • Unique Points
    • Air Europa flight UX045 from Spain to Uruguay was diverted to Brazil due to heavy turbulence.
    • Forty people were injured during the turbulence, with thirty receiving medical care at the airport and ten being transported to the hospital.
  • Accuracy
    • At least 36 passengers were treated for injuries and 23 were taken to hospitals.
    • Four of the injured passengers were still in hospital on Monday afternoon.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article reports on an incident accurately without making any logical fallacies. However, it does use inflammatory rhetoric by describing the turbulence as “h heavy” and showing damaging images of the plane. It also quotes a statement from the airline regarding injuries and safety reasons for diverting the flight.
    • ] The flight was traveling from Spain to Uruguay when it was diverted to Brazil, officials said.
    • The plane requested an emergency landing around 2:32 a.m. local time, according to the airport.
    • Damage to the cabin is seen on an Air Europa following severe turbulence, July 1, 2024. @Natalia_gimeno Damage to the cabin is seen on an Air Europa following severe turbulence, July 1, 2024. @Natalia_gimeno
    • Thirty people received medical care at the airport, while 10 had to be transported to the hospital for further exams, the airport confirmed to ABC News Monday night.
    • A man is seen dangling from the overhead compartment of an Air Europa following severe turbulence, July 1, 2024. It is unclear how he ended up there.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

77%

  • Unique Points
    • Two women reported that a passenger was embedded in the plane’s ceiling area after flying out of his seat during turbulence.
    • Another passenger described people falling on top of seats and other people during the incident.
  • Accuracy
    • Several passengers sustained neck and skull fractures, head injuries, and chest injuries during the turbulence.
    • Four passengers were in intensive care as of Monday evening.
    • Thirty-six passengers were treated for injuries at the hospital.
  • Deception (0%)
    The article contains several examples of deception. The authors use emotional manipulation by describing the scene as 'frightening' and 'terrifying', implying danger to the readers. They also use sensationalism by stating that 'several passengers were left with neck and skull fractures' without providing context or statistics on the number of passengers on the flight. The authors also selectively report details, focusing only on injuries caused by turbulence while omitting any mention of injuries sustained during the emergency landing or other potential causes for injuries. Lastly, they make a statement about climate change causing turbulence more common without providing any peer-reviewed studies to support their claim.
    • Several passengers were left with neck and skull fractures
    • Recent studies suggest that climate change can make turbulence more common
    • The scene was 'frightening' and 'terrifying'
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

95%

  • Unique Points
    • An Air Europa flight from Spain to Uruguay was diverted to Brazil due to severe turbulence.
    • At least 36 passengers were treated for injuries and 23 were taken to hospitals.
    • Some passengers suffered neck and skull fractures, facial injuries, and chest pains.
    • Evangelina Saravia described a passenger being left hanging between the ceiling and roof, as well as a baby in the same situation.
    • Romina Apai reported hearing screaming and smelling blood after waking up from sleeping during the turbulence.
  • Accuracy
    • Forty people were injured during the turbulence, with thirty receiving medical care at the airport and ten being transported to the hospital.
    • Several passengers sustained neck and skull fractures, head injuries, and chest injuries during the turbulence.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains an appeal to authority and inflammatory rhetoric. It also presents a dichotomous depiction of the incident by focusing on the severe nature of the turbulence and its consequences without providing context or balance.
    • . . . at least 36 passengers were treated for injuries, and 23 were taken to hospitals, citing the Brazilian public health authorities. Some passengers had neck and skull fractures, per The Times.
    • A person was left hanging between the plastic ceiling and the metal roof behind it, and they had to be brought down.
    • The same thing happened to a baby.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

94%

  • Unique Points
    • An Air Europa flight from Madrid to Montevideo was forced to make an emergency landing at a Brazilian airport due to severe turbulence.
    • Four of the injured passengers were still in hospital on Monday afternoon.
    • Passengers who were not injured were being transferred to Recife for accommodation before traveling to Montevideo.
  • Accuracy
    • About 40 passengers were injured during the turbulence, mostly with minor injuries.
    • Forty injured passengers were treated in state-run hospitals in Natal, with most of them being discharged after receiving medical attention.
    • Thirty-six passengers were treated for injuries and 23 were taken to hospitals.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority. It also presents a dichotomous depiction of the severity of turbulence.
    • . . . some passengers suffered fractures and others hit their heads during the turbulence.
    • At least four of them were still in hospital on Monday afternoon.
    • In May, a 73-year-old British man died and several other passengers and crew suffered skull, brain and spine injuries when a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore was hit by turbulence and was forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

85%

  • Unique Points
    • Air Europa flight UX045 from Spain to Uruguay experienced severe turbulence.
    • 36 passengers were treated for injuries and 23 were transported to the hospital.
  • Accuracy
    • The number of injured passengers varies from article to article.
    • The severity of injuries also varies between articles.
  • Deception (80%)
    The author does not make any editorializing or pontification statements in the article. He only reports the facts as they have been presented to him. However, there are instances of selective reporting and sensationalism that slightly lower the score. The article focuses on the injuries caused by turbulence on an Air Europa flight and mentions two other incidents involving turbulence from different airlines, but it does not mention any context or statistics about the overall frequency of turbulence incidents or their severity. This selective reporting could give readers a skewed perception of the risk associated with flying. Additionally, the title uses sensational language by describing the turbulence as 'strong', which could potentially grab readers' attention and create unnecessary fear.
    • Some passengers were unbelted at the time, she said. One of the passengers was thrown into the air and became lodged in the plane’s ceiling area.
    • Flight UX045 is the latest to make headlines due to severe turbulence.
    • Passenger Evangelina Saravia told Telemundo that they had been informed during the flight that there would be turbulence, but it was minimal for about 20 minutes, after which it became severe when they were unprepared for it.
    • The plane has landed normally and the minor injuries that were reported are already being treated.
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority. It also presents a dichotomous depiction of the situation.
    • . . . resulting in a number of passengers suffering minor injuries and diverting the aircraft to Brazil, airline officials said.
    • Citing health and airport officials, The New York Times reports that 36 passengers were treated for injuries and 23 were transported to the hospital.
    • Passenger Evangelina Saravia told Telemundo that they had been informed during the flight that there would be turbulence, but it was minimal for about 20 minutes, after which it became severe when they were unprepared for it.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication