21 Hurt In Turbulence

A total of 21 passengers, including three children, were taken to the hospital in Calgary, Alberta, Wednesday after their flight hit severe turbulence on its way from Shanghai to Toronto.

A total of 21 people, including three children, were taken to the hospital in Calgary, Alberta, Wednesday after their flight hit severe turbulence on its way from Shanghai to Toronto. The Air Canada Boeing 777-300ER was over Dawson City, Yukon, when it hit the rough patch of air. There's been plenty of speculation on the nature of the turbulence but Air Canada isn't joining in."At this point, the TSB is reviewing this incident and we are assisting, so we will refrain from speculation and await its report," airline spokesperson Peter Fitzpatrick said.

The aircraft was carrying 332 people and 19 crew. It's not clear if crew members were among the injured. Passengers said the turbulence lasted up to 30 minutes. The crew declared an emergency and diverted to Calgary while officials in that city mounted a "mass casualty" response. Back and neck injuries were the most common but none were said to be life-threatening. Passengers who had their seatbelts on told reporters in Calgary that unsecured pax flew around the cabin and the oxygen masks dropped.

"I was laying flat in a business class seat, I had my seatbelt on andsuddenly I saw the passenger in front of me go flying up in the air, literally to the ceiling and then hitting the ground again,"a man who goes by the name of Zarumtold CBC News. "And then passengers started screaming and objects started flying. It last maybe half an hour." Air Canada hasn't released much in the way of details except to say that all the other passengers are being looked after in Calgary while arrangements are made to get them to Toronto. There seemed to be universal praise for the crew. "It was a little scary but all the crew were professional, handled themselves well, people had minor injuries a little bit shaken up," passenger GordMurray said. "It could have been much worse."