A flight from Phoenix to Honolulu carrying many people traveling for the holidays encountered severe turbulence shortly before landing, sending some unrestrained people and objects flying about the cabin and seriously injuring 11, officials and passengers said.

In all, 36 people received medical treatment following for bumps, bruises, cuts and nausea, said Jim Ireland, director of Honolulu Emergency Medical Services. Twenty people were taken to hospitals, including 11 in serious condition.

害羞草研究所淲e are also very happy, and we feel fortunate that there were not any deaths or other critical injuries. And we害羞草研究所檙e also very hopeful that all will recover and make a full recovery,害羞草研究所� Ireland said.

The full flight had nearly 300 people aboard and carried many passengers traveling to Hawaii for the holidays, like Jacie Hayata Ano, who was heading home.

害羞草研究所淚t was just rocky,害羞草研究所� she told . 害羞草研究所淎nd then, it quickly just escalated to the point where we害羞草研究所檙e shaking so much that we were pretty much like floating off of our chairs.害羞草研究所�

Passenger Jodette Neely told NBC害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淭oday害羞草研究所� show that she saw people hitting their heads on the aircraft害羞草研究所檚 ceiling.

害羞草研究所淚 was grabbing the seat in front of me, the top of it, to hang on, even though I had my seat belt on,害羞草研究所� she said.

Hawaiian Airlines Chief Operating Officer Jon Snook said such turbulence is isolated and unusual, noting that the airline hadn害羞草研究所檛 experienced anything like it in recent history. Three flight attendants were among the injured, he said.

Passenger Kaylee Reyes told that her mother had just sat down when the turbulence hit and had not had a chance to buckle her safety belt.

害羞草研究所淪he flew up and hit the ceiling,害羞草研究所� Reyes said.

Jazmin Bitanga, who was also traveling home for the holidays, said there were two drops in altitude, including one that was so strong it sent her boyfriend害羞草研究所檚 water bottle into the plane害羞草研究所檚 ceiling.

害羞草研究所淚 turned around and there was a couple of people bleeding and just bracing themselves,害羞草研究所� she told Hawaii News Now. 害羞草研究所淛ust all around me, there were people crying.害羞草研究所�

There was some internal damage to the aircraft during the turbulence, Snook said. The fasten-seat belts sign was on at the time, though some of those injured weren害羞草研究所檛 wearing them, he said.

Thomas Vaughan, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Honolulu, said there had been a weather advisory for thunderstorms that included Oahu and areas that would have included the flight path at the time of the turbulence.

The airline was aware of the weather forecast and the unstable air and weather conditions, but had no warning that the particular patch of air where the turbulence occurred 害羞草研究所渨as in any way dangerous,害羞草研究所� Snook said.

He didn害羞草研究所檛 know how much altitude the plane lost during the turbulence, saying that would be part of an investigation involving the National Transportation Safety Board. The plane害羞草研究所檚 flight data recorder would provide those details, he said.

The investigation would also address precisely what the passengers and crew were doing at the time, he said.

The Airbus A330-200 began its descent immediately after the turbulence, and the crew declared an emergency because of the number of injuries on board, he said. Air traffic controllers gave the flight priority to land.

The aircraft will undergo an thorough inspection and maintenance, mostly to fix components in the cabin, Snook said.

Snook said he could only speculate whether some passengers hit their heads, but that was likely based on the injuries and the damage to cabin paneling.

害羞草研究所淚f you don害羞草研究所檛 have your seat belt on, you stay where you are as the aircraft goes down, and that害羞草研究所檚 how those injuries occur,害羞草研究所� Snook said.

The investigation will examine what other measures were taken, aside from turning on the fasten0seat belt sign, to ensure passengers were buckled in, he said.

In 2019, 37 passengers and flight crew members were injured when about two hours past Hawaii. The Boeing 777-200 was diverted to Honolulu, where the injured received treatment. Thirty people were taken to hospitals and nine had serious injuries.

Over the Atlantic, along the New York coastline. Seven crew members and three passengers were injured.

Most people associate turbulence with heavy storms. But the most dangerous type is so-called clear-air turbulence. The wind-shear phenomenon can occur in wispy cirrus clouds or even clear air near thunderstorms, as differences in temperature and pressure create powerful currents of fast-moving air.

Planes can sail into clear-air turbulence without warning.

害羞草研究所擜udrey Mcavoy, The Associated Press