Bloody scenes have emerged after a flight from Moscow to Bangkok hit severe air turbulence, injuring dozens of passengers.

At least twenty-four Russians and 3 Thais were hurt when their plane unexpectedly hit an “air hole” during its approach to Suvarnabhumi Airport, according to official statements.

“Some injured passengers were not wearing seat belts. All victims were taken to a local hospital with various injuries, mostly fractures and bruises. Some require surgery. Fifteen people remain hospitalized,” the Russian Embassy in Bangkok said.

Passenger Rostik Rusev, a Ukrainian man living in New Jersey, told reporters that passengers were thrown out of their seats.

“It lasted for about ten seconds, the plane was being thrown everywhere,” Rusev told CNN.

“There was blood on the ceiling, people with broken noses, babies who were hurt, it was horrible. It came out of nowhere it was like driving a car and a tire suddenly bursts.

“The aircraft personnel couldn't have been more professional and courageous. They were heroes in everything they were doing.”

An “air hole” is an area of low pressure air which causes a plane to drop when it hits it. Typically, they are not dangerous, and can be forecast so that pilots can avoid them or turn on the seatbelt light to ensure passengers are strapped in.

That appears not to have happened in this case.

Passenger Margarita Vladimir told reporters that the journey was calm until right near the end, when the turbulence erupted.

“We saw so many people getting seriously hurt. There were broken legs, arms, bruised faces,” she said.

The carrier Aeroflot issued a statement saying that this type of turbulence known as “clear sky turbulence” is hard to spot because “it does not occur in clouds but in clear skies with good visibility”.

The flight operator said this is why passengers were not warned to return to their seats.

 

 

A post shared by Rostik Rusev (@krlrgstk) onApr 30, 2017 at 9:42pm PDT