From the aircraft to the hospital: because of the strong turbulence, 37 passengers "flew" to the roof in flight

Dozens of people traveled Thursday on the roof of an aircraft that experienced unexpected and intense turbulence over the Pacific Ocean.

An Air Canada flight to Australia had to land in Honolulu urgently after 37 people were injured, nine of them seriously, during a sudden loss of height that had thrown people into the baggage chests. and the lockers at the airport. plane

The Vancouver-Sydney flight experienced "unforeseen and sudden turbulence" about two hours after its pbadage in Hawaii. The plane was hijacked to Honolulu, Air Canada spokeswoman Angela Mash said in a statement.

"The plane has just fallen," he said. The badociated press Stéphanie Beam "When we suffered from turbulence, I woke up and I turned around to make sure my kids were well tied up, then I saw that there were literally bodies on the roof of the plane. "

A woman behind her hit the roof so hard that he broke the compartment of the oxygen masks, said Beam, a native of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Of the 37 pbadengers and injured crew members, nine were seriously injured, rescuers said, and 30 people were taken to the hospital.

The director of emergency medical services in Honolulu, Dean Nakano, said that among the wounded were children of the elderly. Customs officers and rescuers met with pbadengers at the Honolulu Airport landing gate to ensure they received medical attention as soon as possible.

The turbulence occurred at an altitude of 10,973 meters, about 966 kilometers southwest of Honolulu, said US Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor.

The Boeing 777-200 had 269 pbadengers and 15 crew members, said Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick.

Air Canada provided food and accommodations to pbadengers in Honolulu, as well as options to continue the trip.

"If we're going to be stuck somewhere, I can think of worse places," said Beam, who was traveling with his 10- and 11-year-olds.

Jennifer Sinco Kellher and Caleb Jones | AP