14 people injured after a Korean Air flight was hit by severe turbulence
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- 14 people were injured after a Korean Air flight was hit by "severe" turbulence.
- A Korean Air spokesperson said 10 passengers and four flight attendants were hurt in the incident.
- Cases of severe turbulence are rising, with airlines taking measures to avoid injuries.
A bout of turbulence left 14 people injured aboard a Korean Air flight.
Korean Air flight KE197 was flying between Seoul in South Korea and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on August 4 when it was struck by an in-air disruption. This is the latest case of injuries resulting from turbulence aboard a major airline.
A Korean Air spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider that 10 passengers and four flight attendants had reported injuries after the flight experienced "severe turbulence."
"We have provided support and care to the affected passengers upon their arrival in Ulaanbaatar," the spokesperson said.
They added: "With turbulence becoming more frequent and difficult to predict, Korean Air is proactively taking measures to ensure passengers' safety.
"Recent measures include ending cabin services 20 minutes earlier on medium- and long-haul routes, and strongly encouraging passengers to keep their seatbelt fastened throughout the entire flight."
Severe turbulence has become an increasing concern for airlines following the death of a passenger on a Singapore Airlines flight, with one expert telling Business Insider cases were on the rise as a result of climate change.
Another Korean Air flight bound for Taiwan from South Korea in June was forced to turn back due to turbulence after dropping nearly 25,000 feet in five minutes shortly after taking off.
The airline said last week that it would stop serving instant noodles aboard its flights to avoid burn accidents as a result of extreme turbulence.
It also announced it would end cabin services early on some flights, warning that the number of turbulence incidents had doubled in the first quarter of this year compared with the same period in 2019.