South African Airways Flight SA286, an Airbus A340-313X, was en route from OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, South Africa, near the city of Johannesburg to Hong Kong International Airport when it encountered severe turbulence four hours from Hong Kong while over Malaysia. The plane suffered cabin damage.
Three crew and twenty-five passengers were tossed out of their seats and into the ceiling. THere were 163 passengers aboard. Fourteen ambulances waited at Chek Lap Kok airport to transport the injured to North Lantau Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital and Yan Chai Hospital. Two people are still hospitalized.
Pilots continued to Hong Kong and made a priority landing.
The injured were taken off the plane and hospitalized.
Malaysian authorities will be assisting the Civil Aviation Department in the investigation.
*A priority landing means that the incident leads to the aircraft being given landing priority by the airport where it is about to land.
Norwegian Air Shuttle flight DY-7042 had to divert and make an emergency landing at Shannon Airport, Ireland, on January 24th.