As many as 12 people were reported to be injured in mid-air turbulence while the airline was over Turkey bound for Dublin from Doha, days after a similar occurrence in Singapore that killed one person.
Dublin Airport in a statement said that the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner experienced turbulence over Turkey, triggering an emergency response shortly after landing in Ireland.
The Qatar Airways flight QR017 landed before 13:00 local time, with the authorities saying that six passengers and six crew members were injured.
“The Dublin Airport team continues to provide full assistance on the ground to passengers and airline staff,” the airport said.
The incident did not affect any operations at the airport.
According to the National Ambulance Service, it received a pre-alert to attend the airport and is “currently on site facilitating and supporting the disembarkment of passengers”.
Qatar Airways told NI in a statement that “a small number of passengers and crew sustained minor injuries in flight and are now receiving medical attention.
“The matter is now subject to an internal investigation,” it added.
Turbulence could become worse in climate change
CNN reported that approximately 65,000 passenger aircraft suffer moderate-level turbulence annually in the US. Around 5,500 witnessed severe turbulence, which is expected to grow.
In 2022, Paul Williams, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom, told the outlet that he believes climate change is modifying turbulence.
“We ran some computer simulations and found that severe turbulence could double or triple in the coming decades,” Williams added.
