On July 1, 2024, an Air Europa flight from Spain to Uruguay was diverted to Brazil after experiencing severe turbulence. The incident occurred around 2:32 a.m. local time, and the plane safely landed at Natal International Airport in São Gonçalo do Amarante. Forty people were injured in the incident, with thirty receiving medical care at the airport and ten needing to be transported to the hospital for further examination.
The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which was carrying 325 passengers at the time, requested an emergency landing due to the nature of the turbulence and for safety reasons. The flight had departed from Madrid-Barajas and was en route to Carrasco International Airport in Montevideo, Uruguay, when the turbulence occurred. Natal was chosen as the closest airport to address the passengers’ medical needs.
Passenger videos showed damage to the cabin of the plane and injured passengers in neck braces lying on the aisle. One video also showed a man dangling from an overhead compartment, though the circumstances surrounding his injury are unclear. Air Europa stated that seven people suffered injuries of varying degrees, and there was an undetermined number of people with minor contusions.
The airline also announced that passengers were being moved to Recife, and a plane was scheduled to depart from Madrid in the afternoon to pick them up and continue their trip to Montevideo.
