ID :
107712
Sun, 02/21/2010 - 01:44
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/107712
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16 injured as turbulence hits U.S. plane headed to Narita
NARITA, Japan, Feb. 20 Kyodo -
Sixteen people aboard a U.S. passenger aircraft were injured Saturday morning
after it ran into turbulence over Anchorage in the state of Alaska, while it
was traveling from Washington D.C. to Narita, police and air transport
authorities said.
Turbulence hit the Boeing 747-400 United Airlines flight 897 at 10:55 a.m.,
when the aircraft, carrying 264 people, was trying to descend to an altitude of
9,200 meters from 9,700 meters, according to the airport office of the Land,
Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry.
The plane ran into turbulence at an altitude of 9,600 meters.
Later, the aircraft landed safely at Narita at around 3:45 p.m., according to
the airport office.
Although the airline initially alerted fire crew members that 17 people were
injured, it was later found that the number was 16, the authorities said.
The 16 people were rushed to hospitals by helicopters and other transportation
means, the Chiba prefectural police said.
The airliner departed from Dulles International Airport at around 2:40 a.m.
Saturday, Japan time.
A 50-year-old university professor from Fukuoka who was aboard the flight told
Kyodo News, ''The aircraft was jolted vehemently over Alaska twice or so about
seven hours before its arrival.''
''Many passengers were tossed from their seats, bumping into the ceiling,'' he
said.
Since the aircraft is registered in the United States and the accident took
place outside Japanese territorial airspace, U.S. authorities will look into
the case.
The captain of the aircraft did not alert air traffic controllers at Narita
airport of the accident or declare that the aircraft was in a state of
emergency, and the controllers obtained the information by a call from Narita
International Airport Corp., the authorities said.
The incident follows similar ones in Japanese airspace involving turbulence on
Feb. 20 and March 3 last year.
In the February incident, a Northwest jetliner ran into turbulence over the
city of Choshi, Chiba Prefecture, injuring 43 people, including one person who
sustained a neck fracture.
In the March incident, an Air France jetliner ran into turbulence over Niigata
Prefecture, causing two flight attendants to sustain fractures.
==Kyodo
Sixteen people aboard a U.S. passenger aircraft were injured Saturday morning
after it ran into turbulence over Anchorage in the state of Alaska, while it
was traveling from Washington D.C. to Narita, police and air transport
authorities said.
Turbulence hit the Boeing 747-400 United Airlines flight 897 at 10:55 a.m.,
when the aircraft, carrying 264 people, was trying to descend to an altitude of
9,200 meters from 9,700 meters, according to the airport office of the Land,
Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry.
The plane ran into turbulence at an altitude of 9,600 meters.
Later, the aircraft landed safely at Narita at around 3:45 p.m., according to
the airport office.
Although the airline initially alerted fire crew members that 17 people were
injured, it was later found that the number was 16, the authorities said.
The 16 people were rushed to hospitals by helicopters and other transportation
means, the Chiba prefectural police said.
The airliner departed from Dulles International Airport at around 2:40 a.m.
Saturday, Japan time.
A 50-year-old university professor from Fukuoka who was aboard the flight told
Kyodo News, ''The aircraft was jolted vehemently over Alaska twice or so about
seven hours before its arrival.''
''Many passengers were tossed from their seats, bumping into the ceiling,'' he
said.
Since the aircraft is registered in the United States and the accident took
place outside Japanese territorial airspace, U.S. authorities will look into
the case.
The captain of the aircraft did not alert air traffic controllers at Narita
airport of the accident or declare that the aircraft was in a state of
emergency, and the controllers obtained the information by a call from Narita
International Airport Corp., the authorities said.
The incident follows similar ones in Japanese airspace involving turbulence on
Feb. 20 and March 3 last year.
In the February incident, a Northwest jetliner ran into turbulence over the
city of Choshi, Chiba Prefecture, injuring 43 people, including one person who
sustained a neck fracture.
In the March incident, an Air France jetliner ran into turbulence over Niigata
Prefecture, causing two flight attendants to sustain fractures.
==Kyodo
