A terrifying video showing violent turbulence hitting American Airlines flight 280 while traveling over Japan was posted to YouTube.
The video — shared by one of the terrified passengers — shows how the plane shakes surprised travelers like they’re rag dolls and screams are heard while the airliner seemingly drops altitude. Multiple pieces of luggage, as well as food trays and plates, also went flying around, hitting people strapped to their seats.
According to several reports, American Airlines flight 280 encountered severe turbulence shortly after taking off from Seoul, South Korea, en route to Dallas, Texas. The incident lasted about an hour and resulted in an emergency landing at Narita International Airport in Tokyo, after 14 passengers requested medical attention.
Even though none of the injuries are life-threatening, four passengers and one crew member required hospital treatment in Japan. The Boeing 777-200 was carrying 240 passengers and 15 crew members on Tuesday morning.
Some passengers have decided to stay in Japan until Wednesday to recover from the ordeal, according to American Airlines. Those passengers have been set up in local hotels at the expense of the airliner.
The video showing the frightening experience was posted to YouTube by someone with the name of John and has been taken down by the user — but not before it made national news when cable networks picked up the story. In the video, the man filming what the turbulence was doing to Flight 280, was heard praying to God to help him land safely.
“I love my family,” John is heard saying at one point, while at another time he stated, “this is the most frightening thing I’ve ever been.”
Flight #AA280 has landed at Narita Airport in Tokyo. More on this incident: http://t.co/tMkBTMr4O9 pic.twitter.com/LffczPah5m
— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) December 16, 2014
Pic from Dallas attorney Marc Stanley shows Tokyo medics treating a passenger on #AA280 after turbulence. @CBSDFW pic.twitter.com/c71N1lkp4O
— Jennifer Lindgren (@JLindgrenCBS11) December 17, 2014
Severe turbulence forced #AA280 to make an emergency landing in Tokyo earlier today. Photos: http://t.co/U5tnfnIcXW pic.twitter.com/UrXav1F1K9
— FB Newswire (@fbnewswire) December 16, 2014
Even though in most cases, airliners can avoid severe turbulence when they are warned by other pilots, it seems that in the case of American Airlines Flight 280 , the Boeing 777 was the first to encounter the unexpected cluster. Watch the video of the horrifying bad air turbulence.
— tk_mot (@tk_mot) December 17, 2014
[Image via Shutterstock ]
