Vietnam Airlines flight hit by severe turbulence, sparking panic among passengers

The incident occurred on flight VN248 on May 19. Video footage captured by passengers and widely circulated on social media showed food trays overturned, napkins and cups scattered across the cabin floor, and visibly shaken passengers gripping their armrests.

As of Thursday, Vietnam Airlines has not issued an official statement.

According to several passengers, the aircraft was cruising at altitude when it suddenly dropped and then bounced upward. 

One described the sensation as being 'pulled down and shot back up.' 

Flight attendants, caught off guard, were seen crouching low in their seats and holding onto nearby supports.

After the aircraft stabilized, the crew informed passengers that the plane had encountered a patch of severe air turbulence.

This is not the first time turbulence has disrupted flights on this route. 

In 2019, another flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi experienced intense shaking during its descent and was forced to circle for over 30 minutes before landing safely. 

Some passengers later recalled that the cabin had gone eerily silent during the ordeal, with only the hum of the engines audible.

Importance of wearing seat belts

Aviation experts note that turbulence is caused by abrupt changes in wind speed or direction. 

While most turbulence is mild and harmless, more severe episodes can lead to injuries, especially if passengers are not wearing seat belts.

Experts have also warned that climate change is making turbulence more frequent and intense. 

Certain types of turbulence, such as clear air turbulence, are particularly dangerous because they are invisible to radar and difficult for pilots to detect or avoid.

Wearing seat belts, even when the sign is off, is one of the most important safety precautions passengers can take, a flight attendant told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. 

Sudden drops in altitude or violent shaking can eject unbuckled passengers from their seats or cause them to hit overhead bins or other parts of the cabin.

Pilots and air traffic control rely on multiple sources, including radar and weather data, to avoid turbulent zones.

But given the limitations of current technology, some areas remain unpredictable.

Airlines categorize turbulence into three levels of severity. At the lowest level, the seat belt sign flashes briefly, and passengers are advised to stay seated. 

At level two, all passengers must be seated and service is suspended. 

At the most severe level, flight attendants receive the command, "Cabin crew remains seated and fastened," and are required to secure themselves immediately.

Although passengers are instructed to remain buckled while seated, many remove their seat belts shortly after take-off and do not fasten them again until final descent. 

Flight crews continue to urge travelers to keep them fastened for their own safety.

Despite the alarming experience, no injuries were reported on flight VN248. The plane landed safely in Hanoi later that day.