Thirty people were injured, one critically, when a United Airlines jet hit severe turbulence over Kansas Tuesday night, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, throwing passengers around like dolls.
The flight was diverted to Denver International Airport, where it landed safely at 7:45 p.m., the FAA said. Flight 967 had originated at Dulles International Airport in Washington, and was bound for Los Angeles.
Twenty six passengers and four crew members were hurt, with one person suffering critical injuries. The injured, who were taken to local Denver hospitals, were treated for whiplash, bruises, strains and sprains, according to a report by AOL.
The Boeing 777 was flying over Kansas, at about 34,000-feet altitude, when it encountered the severe turbulence. Passengers said the plane suddenly jerked up and down violently.
One passenger told The Denver Post that the woman in the seat next to her hit her head on the side of the cabin so hard that she left a crack above the window. And a woman on the other side of the aisle flew up and hit the plane’s ceiling.
The plane had been carrying 255 passengers and 10 crew members.