Two Suffer Broken Ankles on British Airways Flight

Two people ended a transatlantic flight with broken ankles after a burst of turbulence over the North Atlantic. The injuries happened on a British Airways flight from Los Angeles to London Heathrow last month as the aircraft flew near Greenland, reports the Independent, citing a newly released report from the UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch. It was "clear-air turbulence," which is difficult to predict, but the captain had turned on the fasten-seatbelt sign and made an announcement minutes beforehand, per Simple Flying. The turbulence lasted up to 15 seconds.

A flight attendant lowering her jump seat to strap in was thrown upward, then fell and fractured her ankle, investigators said. A passenger on the upper deck, who said he had slept through the seat belt announcement and did not notice the sign, was returning from the restroom when he got jolted and suffered a broken ankle as well. Shortly afterward, another passenger became ill and lost consciousness.

Two doctors on board treated the injured, improvising splints and giving pain relief. The captain weighed diverting the plane to land in Canada or Iceland, but discounted both because of poor weather. Instead, he continued to Heathrow and declared a medical alert so air traffic controllers could prioritize the flight and arrange ambulances.