Around 11 passengers were reportedly hurt when a flight bound for Manchester was struck with "freak turbulence".
The incident affected British passengers who had gone on a cruise with P&O Cruises' Caribbean Fly-Cruise. Their chartered return flight, Maleth Aero Flight 1975, was hit with turbulence. According to reports in the English media, some passengers were hospitalised, delaying everyone's return to the UK after Christmas.
The passengers, however, were discharged the same day, while none of the crew members were injured, a spokesperson for P&O Cruises confirmed.
The chartered flight, which was an Airbus A300-200 flight, was travelling from Barbados on Christmas Eve. The flight was already behind schedule as it took off an hour late from Barbados and was expected to reach Manchester shortly before 6 AM on Dec. 24.
Two-and-a-half hours into the flight, while cruising at 38,000 feet, the charter flight experienced severe "clear-air turbulence". It was forced to make an emergency landing at LF Wade International Airport in Bermuda.
The flight had had 225 passengers and 13 crew members on board at the time. Emergency services were declared on the runway, while Bermuda's acting Minister of National Security said an investigation around the incident will now take place.
The passengers from the UK had booked one or two-week cruises on the grand Arvia ship, which had four pools and 30 bars and restaurants on board. It was supposed to be a dreamy trip across the Caribbean destinations, including Antigua, St. Lucia and the Dominican Republic. While everything went according to the plan initially, returning home in time for Christmas did not happen.
Following the emergency landing, the P&O Caribbean cruise charter flight underwent legislative aircraft checks, which saw the 225 passengers spend Christmas Day and much of Boxing Day in Bermuda.
As the charter flight could not be operated again until Dec. 26, the passengers were put up in hotels in Bermuda at the cruise company's expense.
"At approximately 12:50 am, Maleth Aero Flight 1975, an Airbus A300-200, en route from Barbados to Manchester experienced severe turbulence, necessitating an emergency landing at LF Wade International Airport. The aircraft executed a controlled landing on the island.
"Emergency medical technicians from the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service greeted the aircraft to provide initial assessments of the passengers and pre-hospital care. The response included nine BFRS vehicles, two King Edward VII Memorial Hospital ambulances and 20 BFRS personnel," a statement from Bermuda's Ministry of Security read.
It is also understood that P&O Cruises sent their passengers seven texts and five letters to keep them updated over the three days they were in Bermuda.
