Shannon Airport Emergency Landing Update: 16 Passengers Injured, 12 Hospitalized After Severe Turbulence [VIDEO]

United Airlines Flight 880, which departed from Houston, Texas and was on its way to Heathrow Airport, was hit by severe turbulence while flying over the Atlantic. With more than a dozen injured passengers, the aircraft was forced to do an emergency landing at Shannon Airport, which is located in Ireland on Wednesday.

16 Injured, Including Children

Authorities who have responded to the incident stated that 14 passengers and two crew members suffered injuries when the airplane was hit by severe turbulence. Among the injured were three children.

Those who were hurt during the incident were taken to University Hospital Limerick for treatment. Fortunately, all the people who were hurt, save for one flight attendant, have been discharged from the medical facility after a few hours.

"As of 10:30, one patient was still being assessed and the remaining 11 were discharged," the hospital said in a statement.

"Hospital staff are working with the airline to transport the passengers back to Shannon Airport to continue their onward journey to London."

Accounts of the Incident

John Dunton-Downer, who was one of the passengers of the aircraft, described the incident. According to Dunton-Downer, the turbulence was so severe that he thought the aircraft was about to crash.

"We reached the mid-Atlantic when, suddenly, there was a sensation of the plane slamming into mid-air. It felt like it was made of paper and hitting a solid object. People, including babies, hit the ceiling and there was a lot of screaming. It felt like the plane was going down," he said.

"We were told to get out of our seats and sit on the floor. The captain said that we had hit turbulence due to unforeseen weather circumstances."

Lizzie Greene, a law student who was also on the flight, stated that for a moment, she thought that she would not survive.

"It was totally unexpected. Everything was normal and then there was this sudden huge drop. People who didn't have their belts on flew out of their seats, all the TVs and the lights went off and people were screaming," she said.  

"Some people were walking around and it was mainly them who were injured, but we were all terrified. For a moment I thought I was going to die."

United Airlines Issues a Statement

United Airlines has issued an official statement about the incident, assuring passengers and relatives of those in the flight that the company is doing all it can to provide care for those who were affected by the incident.

"United Airlines is providing care and support to customers and crew of flight UA-880 which experienced severe and unexpected turbulence during a flight from Houston to London Heathrow today. The aircraft diverted to Shannon Airport in Ireland where it was met by medical personnel. 14 customers and two flight attendants have been taken to a local hospital. We wish these passengers and crew a quick recovery from their injuries," the firm's statement said.