A flight bound for Miami made it over five hours into its journey before making a sudden U-turn at the Canadian border after experiencing severe turbulence.
The Scandinavian Airlines flight SK957 took off from Stockholm at around midday on Thursday, 14 November and was due to land in Miami at 5.45pm local time, but the plane never reached its destination.
An airline spokesperson said the turbulence began while travelling over Greenland, and was so severe that despite being well into the journey, the pilots decided to make a U-turn.
The aircraft, carrying 254 passengers, diverted back to Europe and landed in Copenhagen, Denmark, just after 11pm after more than 10 hours in the air.
One passenger told ABC News that just before reaching Canada the “turbulence started intensifying until it was unpleasant” adding that “people were screaming” due to how severe it was.
Images captured by another passenger shared on social media show the plane aisle scattered with food and objects, as well as large items from storage lockers that appear to have been flung onto the floor.
“Upon arrival, passengers were met by a special assistance team who provided information, addressed any concerns, assisted with rebooking, and ensured their comfort,” the spokesperson said.
The airline said that the passengers had already been rebooked on other flights and were hosted in hotels overnight in the Danish capital.
No severe injuries were reported from the passengers or crew, it added.
Scandinavian Airlines said that the decision to fly back to Europe rather than persevere to the United States after the turbulence was due to it not having the correct facilities at Miami International Airport to carry out an inspection.
“Since SAS do not have the necessary facilities and staff for this level of inspection in MIA, we decided to reroute the aircraft to Copenhagen, where both hangar space and qualified technicians were available,” the spokesperson said.
“Flying the aircraft to MIA would have resulted in it being grounded for an extended period, leading to multiple cancellations.”
They said that the airline’s policy states that such severe turbulence at this level means a “thorough inspection of the aircraft” is required.
The incident comes just days after 11 people were injured on board a Lufthansa flight bound for Germany from Argentina after the aircraft also encountered severe turbulence.
Five passengers and six crew members sustained minor injuries and recieved medical treatment on Monday after flying in an intertropical convergence zone with low-pressure air currents.
A spokesperson for Lufthansa said: “The safety of the flight was never compromised. Lufthansa regrets any inconvenience caused to the passengers. The safety and well-being of passengers and crew members always remains Lufthansa’s top priority.”
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