3 injured as Delhi-bound flight hits turbulence, window panel comes off [Video]

Three passengers on board an Air India aircraft were injured when the Delhi-bound flight hit turbulence Thursday. The aircraft, which was flying from Amritsar in Punjab and had over 240 passengers on board, was also damaged.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner (VT-ANI) had a turbulent flight for 10 to 15 minutes during the climb phase from 8,000 feet to 21,000 feet, reported The Times of India. The cause which led to the turbulence is being investigated by the airline and aviation agencies.

The turbulence caused the interior panel of a window to come off and a few of the overhead oxygen masks were released in the cabin. "The inside of a window panel (18-A) came off. The outside window did not break and there was no de-pressurization. Passengers were naturally terrified," TOI quoted sources as saying.

The overhead luggage bins opened and some baggage fell down on the passengers, said an India Today report. Cracks also emerged on the overhead panel cover of seat 12-U.

Reports have said that one of the passengers was injured as he was not wearing his seatbelt.

"The turbulence on AI 462 was such that the head of a seated passenger, who possibly did not have his seatbelt fastened, hit the overhead cabin because of a bump. The person suffered injuries. Two more had minor injuries," the sources told TOI.

The injured passengers were provided immediate medical help after landing.

"The passenger whose head hit the overhead panel got stitches. They are all fine and took their connecting flights after getting the first aid. The passenger who got stitches said he felt ok and the doctors said he could travel. Our angels were with him throughout," a senior AI official said.

Terming the incident as "freak high-level turbulence", the official said that the AI and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is probing it.

Here's a video of the incident: