Source: The Standard Author: Nishika Patel 06/27/2008
Subject Concerned: Airlines Airport
Eight passengers and crew on board a Hong Kong-bound Cathay Pacific flight were injured when the plane was caught up in the tail of tropical storm Fengshen just minutes before landing on June 26.
It was the second time in 48 hours that a Cathay flight has got into difficulties on its approach to the city.
On June 25, a flight from Toronto was forced to abort its landing because of bad weather. It landed safely later.
After flight CX708 from Bangkok landed on June 26, three cabin crew and five passengers including three elderly people were taken to Princess Margaret Hospital for treatment.
All five passengers a Japanese and four mainlanders have been treated and discharged from hospital.
Of the three cabin crew, one has been discharged with minor injuries and two were kept in hospital overnight with serious injuries.
The aircraft struck unexpected turbulence during the early stages of its descent into Hong Kong.
The fasten seat belt sign had been switched on 12 minutes before the incident.
The captain alerted Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) about the injuries at 1.51pm and ambulances were waiting when the aircraft landed at 2.12pm.
It came a day after Fengshen lashed the territory with heavy rain, floods and landslides that left 17 people injured.
The flight, carrying 241 passengers and 12 crew, was battered with heavy rain and thunderstorms about 90 kilometers southeast of Hong Kong.