Several passengers and crew members sustained injuries when an Emirates flight from Perth to Dubai encountered severe turbulence on Monday. Despite the incident, Emirates flight EK421 continued its journey and safely landed at Dubai International (DXB) airport.
Onboard Medical Assistance and Support
An Emirates spokesperson confirmed the turbulence incident on flight EK421, stating, “We can confirm that flight EK421 from Perth to Dubai on December 4, 2023, briefly encountered unexpected turbulence mid-flight. Unfortunately, this resulted in a small number of crew members and passengers sustaining injuries. The flight continued to Dubai and landed at 4:45 am local time.”
During the flight, the trained crew and volunteers provided medical assistance to the injured passengers through a satellite link. Upon landing at DXB, additional support was provided to the passengers as needed.
“While onboard, those injured were assessed and assisted by our crew and medically-trained volunteers, with additional medical support provided via satellite link. The flight was met by medical services on landing, and Emirates has also deployed its care team to ensure the injured passengers and crew are provided with all possible support,” the spokesperson mentioned.
Safety Precautions and Turbulence Severity Levels
Prior to takeoff, passengers are commonly advised by airlines worldwide to keep their seat belts fastened throughout the flight to minimize harm during turbulence.
According to the US National Transportation Safety Board’s Safety Research Report 2021, being seated with the seat belt fastened is identified as the most effective way to prevent injuries related to turbulence. The severity of turbulence is categorized into three levels, ranging from slight strain to violent forces, impacting passengers and unsecured objects differently.
Emirates Operations to Australia
As of September 12, the Dubai-based airline operated 63 weekly services to Australia, providing nearly 56,000 seats to and from its four major gateways. These include three times daily services to Melbourne and Sydney, double daily flights to Brisbane, and daily operations of its flagship A380 to Perth.
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