18 injured in Emirates air pocket fall

NEW DELHI/KOCHI - At least 18 passengers of an Emirates flight from Dubai to Kerala’s Kochi city were injured Sunday morning when their aircraft abruptly fell almost 15,000 feet in an air pocket, an official said.

India’s aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has begun investigating the incident.

“The DGCA is carrying out air safety investigations. The aircraft will leave only after it is certified. Emirates airlines flight 530 from Dubai to Kochi reportedly encountered bad weather in turbulence while flying over Arabian sea in which 18 passengers were hurt,” said a spokeswoman for the civil aviation ministry.

“The incident happened at 8.50 a.m. The pilot requested for medical assistance on landing with Kochi ATC (air traffic control) which was done. ATC was reported to only when the aircraft was approaching for landing,” the spokeswoman said in New Delhi.

The passengers suffered anxious moments when their aircraft fell sharply from 20,000 feet to 5,000 feet before the pilot could bring it back under control. The plane then landed at Kochi under full emergency conditions.

After the plane landed, a team of doctors examined all those passengers who suffered shock and bruises when the aircraft made the sudden descent in the air pocket.