Some Thrown From Seats, Others Hit By Flying Luggage

At least 54 passengers and crew members aboard a Taiwanese EVA Air flight to Tokyo's Narita Airport were hurt when the aircraft encountered severe turbulence, according to the airline.

"All of a sudden, about seven people in front of me were afloat in the air," said passenger Sachiko Tatara, quoted by the Taipai Times.

"I saw a stewardess bumping against the ceiling. I felt like I was riding on a roller coaster," a young Japanese woman told the Japan Broadcasting Corp. "Some people in the toilets were also injured," she said. "Some oxygen masks came down and I heard scared little children crying."

Most of the injuries were limited to cuts and bruises, although Japanese authorities said 12 people were hospitalized with more serious wounds -- including broken bones.

It was the second time in just 10 days that turbulence caused major problems above the Pacific near Japan. On March 18th, a Northwest Airlines jumbo jet was rocked so badly that four people were hurt.

FMI: www.evaair.com