Severe turbulence injures passengers on Etihad flight

Thirty-one passengers were injured on board an Etihad Airways flight yesterday. The incident occurred on an inbound flight to Jakarta, and the airline has issued the following statement: "Etihad Airways flight EY474 from Abu Dhabi to Jakarta on 4 May, operated by an Airbus A330-200 aircraft, encountered severe and unexpected turbulence about 45 minutes prior to arrival at Soekarno Hatta International Airport.  "A total of 31 passengers and crew were injured. Twenty-two have been released from the airport clinic after being treated by paramedics for minor injuries. Nine other passengers and a crew member were taken to a local hospital.  "As a result, flight EY475 from Jakarta to Abu Dhabi on 4 May was cancelled. Etihad Airways has sent a support team from its home base in Abu Dhabi, and is assisting passengers scheduled to travel on this flight, by rebooking them on alternate flights or providing hotel accommodation.  "Passengers can contact Etihad Airways’ global contact centre on +971 (0) 2 599 0000 or can visit www.etihad.com for more information." Jeremy Tredinnick