12 Injured as Airplane Hits Turbulence

A Sabena Airlines jetliner bound from Detroit with 78 people aboard dropped suddenly in turbulent air Monday, slamming people and food trays into the cabin ceiling and injuring at least 12 people.

"I don't know how big a drop it was. It might have been 500 feet. We just went boom," John Shaughnessy, 43, a passenger from Flushing, Mich., said after Flight 534 landed without incident here shortly after 7 p.m.

Seven of the injured were taken to Boston City Hospital and five to the emergency room at Massachusetts General Hospital, according to officials of both facilities.

"We're talking about bruises, bumps, lacerations and neck and back injuries," said Nick Lamberti, spokesman for the Massachusetts Port Authority, which operates Logan International Airport.

The DC-10, which hit the turbulence about 45 minutes before landing, carried 70 passengers and a crew of eight with Brussels, Belgium, its eventual destination, said Lamberti. He said the Federal Aviation Administration was notified.

Jim Powers, regional FAA duty officer, said the incident was under investigation. He said two inspectors would interview crew members.

Sabena officials could not be reached for comment.

"I was unhurt, but some people flew into the ceiling," said Shaughnessy, an autoworker who was flying with his daughter, Audrey, 25, en route to her wedding in Israel. "I think some of them might have been hurt. There was some blood. I had the seat belt on."

Suzy Peterson, 45, a nurse from Williamston, Mich., said one flight attendant suffered a gash "and I steri-stripped it (put a butterfly bandage on the wound) to stop the bleeding. She was bleeding profusely."

The plane hit the air pocket just as people were being served their dinner, said Vasily Kchaginas, 67, en route from Windsor, Ontario, to Athens.

"The plane went down, and everything went up--dishes and everything. The cart with the food went to the ceiling," said Kchaginas.

At least eight ambulances met the plane at the airline's regular terminal when it landed at 7:09, Lamberti said.

"We have six passengers and a stewardess," said Louis Daddario, administrator on duty at Boston City Hospital. "As far as we know, they are all minor injuries, basically bumps, bruises, their shoulder hurts."

He said none were admitted to the hospital.

Daddario said all of the passengers were from Michigan except the flight attendant, Weemaes Veerle, who is from Belgium.

Carol Labadini, shift supervisor in the emergency room at Massachusetts General, said, "We've got five. All minor injuries. They're all from out of state. They're all passengers."

She said none had been admitted.

Lamberti said the plane's flight to Brussels had been rescheduled for Tuesday morning, and the passengers put up in area hotels.