Watch: Dozens injured after plane hit by ‘severe’ turbulence

In a harrowing incident, an Air Europa flight from Madrid to Montevideo, Uruguay, was forced to make an emergency landing in Brazil, after severe turbulence left dozens of passengers injured.

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft was diverted to Natal airport at around 2:30 am local time on Monday, following a distress call from the pilots.

According to reports, a total of 30 people were taken to hospital with injuries ranging from minor abrasions to orthopaedic traumas.

Photographs and video clips shared online showed passengers being treated for their injuries, with one woman seen wearing a neck brace. The aircraft’s interior was also severely damaged, with seats and the ceiling sustaining significant damage.

❗✈️🇧🇷 – Air Europa Boeing 787-9 (EC-MTI, manufactured in 2018) made an emergency landing at Natal-International Airport (SBSG) in Brazil after encountering severe turbulence during flight UX45 from Madrid to Montevideo, Uruguay.

The aircraft was cruising at an altitude of… pic.twitter.com/n2lNnWz96h

— 🔥🗞The Informant (@theinformant_x) July 1, 2024

The airline released a statement confirming the incident, stating that the flight was diverted to Natal due to strong turbulence, and that the plane landed normally. The injured passengers were being treated, and a second plane would be sent from Madrid later that day to continue the journey to Uruguay.

This incident comes just weeks after a 73-year-old British man died following severe turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore .

Following  incident, Air Europa has promised to provide support to the affected passengers and to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the turbulence.