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Passengers and crew injured after turbulence on Qatar Airways flight to Dublin
Eight people have been taken to hospital due to turbulence on a flight to Dublin.
Dublin Airport said six passengers and six crew members on a Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Dublin were hurt after experiencing turbulence over Turkey.
In a later statement, the airport said all passengers were assessed for injury before getting off the plane and eight were taken to hospital.
Graeme McQueen, a spokesman for DAA, the operator of Dublin Airport, told Sky News the aircraft was met by emergency services upon landing shortly before 1pm on Sunday.
Qatar Airways described the injuries sustained by passengers and crew as “minor”.
It said: “[They] are now receiving medical attention… The safety and security of our passengers and crew are our top priority.”
An internal investigation into what happened has now been launched.
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Earlier this week, in a separate incident, a British man died on a Singapore Airlines flight after extreme turbulence on a Heathrow-Singapore journey.
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Singapore Airlines passenger Josh Silverstone describes ordeal
Turbulence is defined as a sudden change in airflow and wind speed.
It can often be associated with storm clouds, which are usually well forecast and monitored, allowing planes to fly around them, Sky News weather producer Jo Robinson said.
Clear-air turbulence (CAT) is much more dangerous as there are no visual signs, such as clouds.
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This invisible vertical air movement usually occurs at and above 15,000ft and is mostly linked to the jet stream.
It is unclear what type of turbulence the Qatar Airways flight went through.