Passengers on Hawaiian Air flight: Severe turbulence hit without any warning

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Passengers on the Honolulu-bound flight that hit severe turbulence just before landing, sending some flying into the ceiling, said the loss of altitude came without any warning.

Some 36 people, including three crew members, were injured in the incident.

Eleven sustained serious injuries, emergency medical officials said.

36 injured after ‘rare’ pocket of severe turbulence hits Honolulu-bound plane shortly before landing

Hawaiian Airlines said Flight 35 from Phoenix was full, with 278 passengers and 10 crew members, and was just about to or had just begun its descent into Honolulu when the plane hit a pocket of severe turbulence.

Kaylee Reyes was flying home from college with her mother.

She said her mother was just sitting down after going to the restroom when the incident happened.

Her mom hadn’t had a chance to put her seatbelt back on.

“She flew up and hit the ceiling,” Reyes said.

Reyes said her mom was one of the seven people who were transported to the hospital on the city bus with minor injuries.

Hawaiian Air officials said the “fasten seatbelt” sign was on when the incident happened.

Even so, passenger Jazmin Bitanga said the turbulence seemed to come out of nowhere.

“My life flashed before my eyes,” said Bitanga.

After the incident, she added, passengers were crying, some were bleeding and everyone was stunned.

“I turned around and there was a couple of people bleeding and just bracing themselves,” said Bitanga, adding that passengers were asked to stay seated so those with the worst injuries could be brought out first.

“They were bringing someone out in a wheelchair and I just saw blood and I starting to cry again,” she said.

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