An Air Europa Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (reg. EC-MTI), carrying 325 passengers, made an emergency landing in Natal, Brazil, on Monday after encountering severe turbulence that injured at least seven people. The flight, which had departed from Madrid on Sunday, was en route to Montevideo as flight UX45 when the turbulence forced the diversion for safety reasons.
The plane landed normally at 02:42 local time (05:42 UTC) at Natal International Airport. The incident resulted in various injuries among passengers, with at least 27 individuals receiving treatment for polytrauma at Monsenhor Walfredo Gurgel Hospital in Natal. The Uruguayan Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that while some passengers had been hospitalised, none were in life-threatening condition, and some had already been discharged.
Air Europa stated that the aircraft would remain in Natal for inspection and damage assessment, and a replacement aircraft would be sent to continue the passengers’ journey to Montevideo. Photos posted by a passenger showed significant damage inside the cabin, with parts of the ceiling detached.
This incident follows a trend of increased turbulence linked to climate change, with studies showing a rise in the duration and severity of turbulence over recent decades.
