St. Petersburg, Fla. – A plane carrying 179 passengers and six crew members experienced severe turbulence on Wednesday during its flight from North Carolina to Florida, resulting in injuries to two passengers and two flight attendants, according to officials.
The flight, operated by Allegiant, was en route from Asheville Regional Airport to St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport when the incident occurred. Despite the turbulence, the aircraft successfully landed at its destination and taxied to the gate without any further issues, as stated by the airline.
The Airbus A320, with the identifier AIR, rapidly descended approximately 5,000 feet within a span of less than two minutes. This sudden drop brought the aircraft from an altitude of roughly 18,000 feet down to 13,000 feet, based on data from the flight-tracking website FlightAware.
Upon arrival at the airport, paramedics were dispatched to assess the condition of the four individuals who were injured. They were subsequently transferred to a nearby hospital for treatment; however, specific details about their injuries have yet to be disclosed.
Allegiant has initiated an investigation into the incident in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The aim is to determine the cause of the turbulence and implement any necessary safety measures.