Dozens of people on an Air Canada flight to Australia have been injured after the plane encountered unexpected turbulence, forcing it to land in Hawaii.
The flight, AC33, diverted to Honolulu, Hawaii. The outlet reported that nine people were transported to a nearby hospital after the plane landed safely.
The aircraft was a Boeing 777-200, with 269 passengers and 15 crew on board.
"When we hit turbulence, I woke up and looked over to make sure my kids were buckled", she said.
Ms Smith's partner, Tay Maggs, who was returning home from holidays with her said she received a bloody nose after being launched from her seat.
Flight AC33 from Vancouver to Sydney hit trouble around two hours beyond Hawaii and diverted back to the United States island chain's capital Honolulu, the company said in a statement. "Must've dropped about 100 feet or something because we all went up to the ceiling like throughout the plane". "There were a couple of people with head and neck injuries from flying up and hitting the ceiling".
The affected people are being examined by medical personnel, an Air Canada spokesperson told the channel. That number was later updated to 37 by emergency officials in Honolulu.
At least 35 passengers are believed to have sustained minor injuries - nine of them have been taken to hospital.
Flight AC033 then made an unscheduled stop at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu at 6:45 a.m. local time, where six ambulances and 50 first responders were on scene.
"I think we handled it well", Honolulu EMS Chief Dean Nakano said at a press conference Thursday afternoon.
An Air Canada flight from Vancouver to Anchorage was re-routed on Sunday, June 23 after the aircraft's engine shutdown mid-flight.
It added that it was arranging hotels in Honolulu until a new flight to Australia could be arranged.
