American Airlines plane hit with ‘unexpected turbulence,’ 5 hospitalized

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Five people aboard an American Airlines flight were hospitalized Sunday after the airline said the aircraft experienced “unexpected turbulence.”

American Airlines Flight 1286 was traveling from Miami to Raleigh-Durham in North Carolina when the plane hit turbulence, an American Airlines spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement.

The plane, an Airbus A321, landed safely at Raleigh-Durham International Airport at around 10:50 p.m. “after the crew reported possible injuries to cabin crew and passengers due to turbulence,” the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement.

An airport spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement that RDU Fire Rescue, along with rescue personnel from Wake and Durham Counties, met the flight when it landed around 11:30 p.m. and rushed five individuals to a nearby hospital.

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The FAA said American Airlines Flight 1286 landed safely at Raleigh-Durham International Airport at around 10:50 p.m. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images, File)

Three flight attendants and two passengers were taken to the hospital, according to the airline, and later released. No further details about the extent of any injuries were immediately provided. The airline added that the seat belt sign was on when the flight encountered turbulence.

Passengers who said they were aboard the flight described the ordeal to WRAL News.

“It was like being on the top of a roller coaster and going down,” said one passenger, who wanted to remain anonymous. “It sounded like we hit something and then we just dropped in the air.”

Another passenger told the outlet that the sudden shift in altitude sent people, laptops, cell phones and items from the drinks cart “flying in every direction” in the cabin.

An American Airlines spokesperson said the flight hit “unexpected turbulence.” (Kevin Carter/Getty Images, File)

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A passenger described seeing two flight attendants get injured, including one they said suffered a broken arm and another who was burned from hot water on the drinks cart. The passenger said a man was also knocked unconscious.

Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) welcome signage in Morrisville, North Carolina, U.S., on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“I would say it was absolutely horrific,” one passenger told the outlet. “People thought that they were going to lose their lives.”

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The FAA said it will investigate the incident.