United Airlines flight plunges mid-flight, passengers thrown into walls, ceiling, six hospitalised

Nearly 40 people have been injured and six hospitalised after a United Airlines Boeing plane suddenly plunged mid-flight, throwing passengers into the walls and ceiling and sending food and drink flying all through the cabin.

Last week, United Airlines flight 613 from Lagos, Nigeria to Washington DC was 90 minutes into its flight when it suffered a technical issue as the Dreamliner suddenly plunged, an airline spokesperson told the Washington Post.

Passengers, some of whom were unbuckled at the time, were midway through their meal service when the plane sharply dropped, causing panic and carnage across the plane.

In a video posted online, passengers could be heard screaming in the aftermath as food, wine, cutlery and trays were seen scattered across the plane’s floor and ceiling.

Wine splatters were stained on the plane’s walls and roof and some passengers were seen to be suffering minor injuries.

The flight was forced to make an emergency return mid-flight to Lagos following the incident.

This is the moment passengers were thrown into walls and food scattered across the floor after a flight from Nigeria to the US plunged mid-air, leaving six people hospitalised and nearly 40 injured.

Four passengers and two crew members were hospitalised, Nigeria’s Federal Airports Authority said in a statement, and 27 passengers and five crew members suffered minor injuries. There were 245 passengers and 11 crew members on board, it said.

One passenger told Nigerian news outlet Vanguard that they were knocked out during the plunge.

“I hit my head on the ceiling because of the impact. I became unconscious, but one person from the medical team came to attend to me in the middle of the turmoil.”

The passenger claimed they lost altitude three times.

Tracking data from Flightradar24 showed the aircraft’s speed drop sharply twice in quick succession about 75 minutes into the journey while flying at an altitude of about 36,000 feet (11,000m), while it also had a less severe drop several minutes later.

The passengers who were hospitalised after landing have since been discharged, the United Airlines spokesperson said.

It’s just the latest in a number of high-profile incidents involving planes from the embattled manufacturer, Washington Post reported.

Heath Moore is an Auckland-based journalist covering trending, breaking, national, world, lifestyle, and travel news. He joined the Herald in 2017.