TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Six people were injured and one was hospitalized after a Taiwan-bound Turkish Airlines flight encountered strong turbulence on Thursday (Sept. 5).

Four passengers and two crew members were injured, per CNA. Upon landing at Taoyuan International Airport, one passenger whose neck was injured was sent to hospital but the other five had minor injuries and went through customs normally.  

According to the flight tracking website FlightAware, the incident occurred on board a Boeing 777 that landed at 6 p.m. 

A passenger on the flight said turbulence hit about two hours before landing in Taiwan and lasted for a short period. The man, who declined to be named, said the airplane’s oxygen masks fell and items were scattered everywhere, hitting passengers and causing fear.

Research published in 2023 found that turbulence is likely to intensify due to climate change. In August, six people were injured on a flight between Jakarta and Taipei because of strong turbulence, and a similar event killed one and injured dozens on a Singapore Airlines flight in May.