Severe turbulence leaves 10 injured, throws flight attendant into ceiling

The ten injured passengers were taken to local hospitals in Basel, Switzerland.

June 17, 2019, 5:35 PM

Frightening passenger video captured severe turbulence that sent a flight attendant and her drink cart into the ceiling during a flight from Pristina, Kosovo, to Basel, Switzerland, on Sunday.

The 30-second video showed the drinks from the flight attendant's cart spill all over passengers and a lady appear to pray as the plane violently shakes. Some passengers said they were burned by the hot water that was thrown from the cart.

PHOTO: Ten passengers were taken to a local hospital in Basel, Switzerland after an ALK Airlines plane experienced severe turbulence, June 16, 2019.
Ten passengers were taken to a local hospital in Basel, Switzerland after an ALK Airlines plane experienced severe turbulence, June 16, 2019.
Mirjeta Basha via Storyful

According to a spokesperson for EuroAirport, 10 passengers were dispatched to local hospitals in Basel and suffered minor injuries.

"The flight from Pristina with airline ALK experienced turbulence in the air around 20 minutes before landing," a EuroAirport spokesperson told ABC News. "The pilot alerted handling agents so that the airport firemen were immediately on the scene when the plane arrived."

ALK Airlines confirmed to ABC that they are aware of the cellphone video and that the turbulence was expected. The flight attendant was trying to "collect all drinks and full glasses from passengers" before the "downward impulse occurred," the airline said.

U.S. carriers are generally required to have flight attendants sit if they believe turbulence is ahead, but ALK Airlines says the flight attendant from the video is still in "absolutely good health."

ABC News' David Kerley and Roger Lee contributed to this report.

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