RDU-bound American Airlines flight experiences turbulence, 5 injured
NOW AT LEAST HAVE COOLED OFF IN
THE MIDDLE EAST. LET'S HOPE
THAT IS THE CASE. BRIAN, THANK
YOU. A SCARE MID-AIR. 5 PEOPLE
WERE COVERING AT WAKE MED AFTER
UNEXPECTED TURBULENCE ON
AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT SENT
THEM TO THE HOSPITAL. THAT
FLIGHT
>> WAS HEADED FROM MIAMI TO
HEAR AT RALEIGH, DURHAM
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LANDING
AROUND 11, 30 LAST NIGHT WRAL'S
HEIDI KIRK SPOKE WITH SEVERAL
PEOPLE WHO WERE ON THAT FLIGHT.
>> IT WASN'T THE END OF
VACATION THAT LEE FRANCIS
EXPECTED. IT WAS A LIKE A
ROLLER COASTER. BUT
THE PANIC, THE ROLLER COASTER
THAT MAY NEVER END. THAT'S THE
ONLY WAY HE CAN DESCRIBE THE
MOMENT HE FELT THE AIRPLANE
SEEMINGLY DROPPED THROUGH THE
AIR, FOLLOWED BY SEVERAL
MINUTES OF TURBULENCE. HE SAYS
HE WAS SITTING IN ROW 14 FEET
AWAY FROM WHERE THE FLIGHT
ATTENDANTS WERE SERVING
BEVERAGES. THE WHOLE CAR WENT
UP.
>> THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS WENT
UP, YOU KNOW, CUPS WHEN
EVERYWHERE I FIX ALL THAT STUFF
WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, SORT OF
LIKE FLYING ALL AROUND A
SPOKESPERSON FOR AMERICAN
AIRLINES CALLS IT UNEXPECTED
TURBULENCE THAT CAUSED THE
CHAOS. THEY SAY 3 OF THE PEOPLE
INJURED WERE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS
AND 2 OTHERS WERE CUSTOMERS.
THEY SENT US THIS STATEMENT
SAYING, QUOTE.
>> WE THANK ALL OUR CREW
MEMBERS FOR THEIR
PROFESSIONALISM AND OUR
CUSTOMERS FOR THEIR
UNDERSTANDING, THEY GO ON TO
SAY THE FASTEN SEAT BELT SIGN
WAS ON YET. SOME WERE STILL UP
LIKE CAMERON AUTRY WHO FOUND
HIMSELF IN THE BATHROOM.
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK I MIGHT
HAVE BEEN IN THE ABSOLUTE WORST
PLACE IN THE ENTIRE AIRPLANE
WHEN IT HAPPENED. JUST HOLDING
ON TO THE FAWCETT AND THE EDGE
OF THE SAME LIKE JUST BUT I CAN
FIND FRANCIS SAYS IT WENT FROM
CHAOS BACK TO NORMAL IN
MINUTES. AND DESPITE THE SCARY
MOMENT, THE CREW KEPT COMBED
THROUGH IT ALL. THAT'S REALLY
WHAT MY THOUGHTS GO TO TODAY IS
LIKE HOW PROFESSIONAL EVERYBODY
WAS, HOW THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS
WERE AMAZING AND THAT I HOPE.
>> THE FOLKS THAT WERE INJURED
ARE OKAY.
>> WELL, OK, HEIDI, KIRK
REPORTING THERE, YOU CAN ONLY
IMAGINE WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR
THOSE FOLKS AND RDU
SPOKESPERSON SAYING THAT
AIRPORT RESCUE PERSONNEL ALONG
WITH WAKE AND DURHAM, EMS MET
THAT FLIGHT AS IT LANDED ON
SUNDAY. WE'RE STILL WORKING TO