32 injured by turbulence on China Air flight

updated 11:37 a.m. ET Oct. 2, 2008

BANGKOK, Thailand - At least 32 people were injured Thursday after a China Airlines flight from Hong Kong to Bangkok encountered turbulence, a Thai airport official said.

Most of those hurt aboard flight CI-641 from Hong Kong suffered minor cuts and bruises, but two had spine injuries, a hospital spokesman said. Early accounts said there had been fewer injuries, none serious.

The Boeing 747-400 was hit by turbulence about 20 minutes before landing at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport at about 1:30 p.m., said a spokeswoman for Airports of Thailand, who insisted that she not be named because she was not authorized to release information to the press. China Airlines is a Taiwanese carrier.

Two people suffered serious spine injuries, said Chairat Panthuraamphorn, a doctor at Bangkok's Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital, which administered to 20 of the injured. The other injured passengers were taken to other hospitals.

A duty officer at Suvarnabhumi Airport, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said the captain of the flight contacted the control tower to ask to land ahead of schedule and to have doctors and ambulances standing by to take care of the injured.

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