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The Aeroflot plane hit an area of ​​severe turbulence, passengers were injured, some will undergo surgery in the capital of Thailand. Vacation is in vain, time is lost, the next vacation is not soon. The carrier promised to pay for the treatment - but this is already covered by the insurance. But the company is not obliged to compensate for moral damage and hotel accommodation. And in this situation, you can take a wait-and-see approach, or you can go to court.

Instead of the beach - to the hospital

Boeing-777 airlines Aeroflot, performing a flight on the route Moscow - Bangkok on May 1, when approaching the destination airport, it fell into a zone of severe turbulence. 27 people out of 313 passengers were injured, 24 of them were Russians, they received injuries of varying severity. All victims were taken to a Bangkok hospital. As of May 2, 15 Russians remain in the hospital, four of them have undergone surgery, and several more are yet to undergo surgery.

Posted by Margarita (@mdovgaya) May 1, 2017 at 3:09 PDT

“The Aeroflot representative, if necessary, cancels hotel reservations, postpones check-in dates, as well as reissues air tickets for the next flights to their final destinations for transfer passengers. All costs associated with re-registration, as well as the costs of treatment of passengers, were fully borne by the airline,” the national carrier said in a press release. But according to the law, the treatment of tourists is already compensated from the insurance, which is included in the ticket price of all air passengers - here Aeroflot does not show much nobility.

Treatment is required to be paid, the rest depends on the position

“According to Law 67-FZ, all air transport passengers are automatically insured and have the right to compensation for damage received during transportation. This insurance covers all bodily injuries and illnesses resulting from insured events. Its coverage is at least 2 million rubles. Aeroflot flight insurers – "AlfaStrakhovanie" And "Sogaz", - the founder of the legal agency told the site. According to him, the insurance also covers income that the victim lost due to disability, additional costs for restoring health and other expenses not related to this case.

However, the carrier and insurance companies are not required to pay compensation for moral damage - and this is a ruined vacation that tourists will spend in the hospital - the expert noted. Of course, they can agree among themselves on fixed payments to each victim, regardless of the severity of the injuries. But if the companies do not do this, it will be possible to obtain such compensation, if desired, only through the court, by filing a claim against Aeroflot.

“There are chances to win the trial, since there is evidence of harm to health, moral harm, and there is evidence. But the airline can prove that it was not at fault in the accident, passengers were warned about the need to fasten their seat belts throughout the flight, the weather forecast was favorable, and moral damages are compensated only if there is fault. The same applies to compensation for hotel accommodation for those passengers who ended up in the hospital - Aeroflot will be obliged to pay this too if its guilt is proven in a civil suit. If the court finds that the company is not at fault, all payments will remain only within the framework of insurance reimbursement for medical expenses and related expenses,” commented Mokhov. At the same time, in his opinion, Aeroflot is unlikely to bring the case to court and will individually determine the amount of compensation for each victim.

Like a bolt from the blue

Aeroflot said in a press release that the phenomenon encountered by the Boeing 777 is known in aviation as “clear air turbulence.” It appears not in the clouds, but in the clear sky, and the radar cannot detect its approach, so the crew has no way to warn passengers to return to their seats.

“This is an isolated case. This phenomenon can occur at different stages of flight; this is a normal state of the air ocean. At altitudes, air masses move at high speed. Therefore, it is advisable to sit fastened during the flight, even when the “Fasten seat belts” light has gone out,” commented Boris Shokurov, Deputy Executive Director Associations air transport RF.

The previous major incident involving turbulence occurred on a Russian airliner almost 10 years ago. On April 2, 2005, the company's Tu-204 aircraft "Kavminvodyavia", returning to Moscow with 188 tourists on board, after takeoff in Sharm el-Sheikh began to sharply lose altitude. As a result, some passengers received abrasions and bruises, and one woman, who, after completing the flight, according to a representative, lost consciousness at passport control at Sheremetyevo, had to be hospitalized.

It is unknown whether the claims of the four passengers to the carrier for compensation for the damage caused were satisfied: Kavminvodyavia then flatly refused to comment on the situation. Consequently, due to the rarity of such cases, law enforcement practice in these situations, apparently, has not developed.

Hit the big one air pocket. As a result of the incident, which occurred 40 minutes before landing, 27 people were injured. All of them were taken to a local hospital upon landing. Doctors note that the lives of the victims are not in danger, but some require surgery. In connection with the incident, the Russian Embassy in Thailand opened hotline and sent a translator to the medical facility. Aeroflot said it would pay all medical expenses, noting that the incident was caused by turbulence in clear skies. About 750 such cases are recorded annually. Experts assured RT that even experienced pilots who were at the controls at that moment could not predict the occurrence of such a situation.

27 passengers on the Moscow-Bangkok Aeroflot flight received injuries of varying severity during the flight. The incident occurred 40 minutes before landing - the plane, which was carrying 313 people, fell into a large air hole. All the victims, including 24 Russians and three Thai nationals, have already been taken to the local hospital. Representatives of the Russian Embassy in the country contacted their compatriots, who set up a hotline and sent an interpreter to the medical facility.

“Embassy staff are already in the hospital, and a translator has been sent there. All information about the incident can be obtained in real time from the consular department or from the diplomat on duty, as well as on our website,” said Russian Ambassador to Thailand Kirill Barsky.

Need surgery

It is noted that mostly the passengers suffered bruises, but some of them had fractures.

According to the head of the consular department of the embassy, ​​Vladimir Sosnov, the lives of the victims are not in danger, but several of them require surgical intervention.

“Several people have already been operated on, and several more are awaiting operations. There is no exact data yet on the number of those who required emergency intervention,” Sosnov said.

It is noted that 15 Russians remain in the hospital.

Unpredictable turbulence

Aeroflot has already named the cause of the incident. According to the airline's statement, the plane encountered what is known in aviation as "clear air turbulence."

“The turbulence that the Boeing 777 encountered is known in aviation as “clear air turbulence.” Its main feature is that it does not appear in the clouds, but in a clear sky with good visibility, where weather radar cannot detect its approach. Therefore, the crew does not have the opportunity to warn passengers about the need to return to their seats,” says a message on the carrier’s website. The statement also emphasizes that such situations are not uncommon. "Every year in the world civil aviation About 750 cases of turbulence in clear skies are recorded,” the company notes.

The impossibility of predicting the occurrence of such a situation was confirmed by RT and the Honored Test Pilot of Russia, Head of the Flight Test Center of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise “State Research Institute of Civil Aviation” Ruben Yesayan.

“Clear air turbulence” refers to a sharp turn in the wind at altitude. It is impossible to predict such a situation if the crew does not have the appropriate forecast,” said Yesayan.

However, he emphasized that such a phenomenon does not pose a danger to aircraft.

“Our, and foreign, aircraft are designed to be overloaded with such bumpiness,” he added.

At the same time, the Aeroflot press service clarified that the flight was piloted by an experienced crew.

“The flight was piloted by an experienced crew. The pilot-in-command has over 23 thousand flight hours, and the co-pilot has over 10.5 thousand hours,” the airline reported.

Treatment paid for by the airline

Representatives of the carrier stated that, together with employees of the Russian consulate in Thailand, they are in contact with the victims. Aeroflot covered the costs of treatment.

In addition, the Russian Ambassador to Thailand Kirill Barsky noted that the diplomatic mission received information from the company that compensation would be paid to those injured.

“According to the data we receive from Aeroflot, all victims will be paid due compensation,” Barsky said.

For relatives of passengers, a special dedicated line has been organized at the carrier’s contact center.

According to eyewitness Rostislav, the economy class passengers sitting at the rear of the plane suffered the most.

“It all happened very suddenly. First, the plane shook violently once, and then for about 10 seconds it started shaking so loudly that people were literally thrown out of their seats. Those who were sitting in the back of the plane were mostly affected. Our friends were sitting there. A friend has a suspected broken collarbone and a broken leg. When this happened, everyone started flying: people were flying and falling on each other. The spectacle is terrible. I feel very sorry for the children,” Rostislav told RT.

At the same time, he noted the professionalism of the flight attendants and the initiative of some passengers who provided assistance to the victims.

“The flight attendants and stewards behaved very professionally in the situation and provided all possible assistance. The crew and the girl who provided her assistance are simply heroes,” the man added.

Find out the circumstances

In the meantime, a pre-investigation check has been organized in Moscow into the fact that passengers on the flight sustained injuries. It is carried out by the capital's interregional investigative department for transport of the Investigative Committee of Russia.

“Currently, the investigation is carrying out a set of necessary verification measures aimed at establishing all the circumstances and causes of the incident. Thus, immediately after returning to Moscow, the aircraft crew members and passengers will be interviewed. Already, the investigation is requesting information of interest from the airline, and work is underway to establish the exact number of victims,” the Investigative Committee said in a statement.

It is noted that based on the results of the inspection, a procedural decision will be made.

Traveling from Moscow to Bangkok, when approaching the capital of Thailand, it fell into a zone of severe turbulence. As a result, 25 passengers were injured. Details are in the material.

What's happened?

The incident occurred approximately 40 minutes before boarding, when passengers had not yet been warned to take their seats and fasten their seat belts. The weather in sunny Bangkok did not promise anything bad, but suddenly the plane fell into several deep air pockets - the airliner shook violently, and the travelers were thrown up. The victims were mainly those who were not wearing seat belts or were wandering around the cabin, warming up after a long flight.

Soon the board successfully landed in Suvarnabhumi airport, where doctors were already waiting for him. 25 people were taken to the hospital. On this moment According to the Russian Embassy in Thailand, 17 of them remain there, including 15 Russians.

What is the reason?

In the press service Russian airline the incident was explained by “clear sky turbulence.” “Its main feature is that it does not appear in the clouds, but in clear skies with good visibility, where weather radar cannot detect its approach. Therefore, the crew does not have the opportunity to warn passengers about the need to return to their seats,” Aeroflot said, noting the solid experience of the aircraft commander - over 23 thousand flight hours.

According to the carrier, about 750 such cases are recorded annually in global civil aviation - that is, roughly speaking, at least two passenger aircraft get caught in “clear-sky turbulence” every day.

Cases of strong shaking during commercial flights are not uncommon. In mid-April, 14 people were injured during a Qantas flight from Melbourne to Hong Kong; at the end of February, two people were injured after an American Airlines airliner flying from San Diego to Chicago fell into an air pocket; and three months earlier, several passengers on the plane were injured as a result of a similar incident. China Eastern Airlines suffered fractures in both the back and head.

What it is?

Air holes are a fairly common occurrence. It’s rare that a flight takes place without the plane encountering turbulence, but more often than not, passengers experience slight and short-lived shaking. Pits are formed in places of downward and upward flows - hot air, rising from the ground, forms peculiar pipes, around which a ring layer of cooled air is formed, falling down.

As experts told Lenta.ru, the appearance of an air pocket is often impossible to predict. Of course, turbulence can be identified by places where clouds or clouds accumulate, but sometimes it can occur in places where there are no visual signs.

The pilot and aviation psychologist notes that when the plane hits an air pocket, the board seems to fall through, or, on the contrary, it is thrown up. Most often, the movement of an aircraft in space is measured by several centimeters, however, since the human vestibular system is not adapted to flight, it cannot respond correctly to these changes. In addition, the pits are strongly felt due to the high speed of the liners.

Gervash clarifies that the influence of turbulence and air pockets must be taken into account when designing aircraft. His colleague, Lenta.ru’s interlocutor, says that most pilots do not consider turbulence dangerous and in case of its occurrence, pilots have clear instructions.

The expert adds that to minimize the consequences of turbulence, passengers should, if possible, remain seat belted throughout the flight, and also not carry large luggage - handbags and backpacks, if they are not needed “right now”, it is better to put them under the seat in front of the chair.

What about the victims?

As Vladimir Sosnov, head of the consular department of the Russian embassy, ​​said, three Russians were operated on, and another is awaiting surgery. Aeroflot covered all expenses for treatment.

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Consequences of turbulence on board Aeroflot

Three dozen passengers on the Moscow-Bangkok flight were injured when an Aeroflot Boeing 777 plane hit an air pocket. Some people have fractures, the Russian Embassy in Thailand reported. The airline itself called the incident “clear-sky turbulence.”

“The victims have multiple fractures. There are both Russians and foreigners among them,” Vladimir Sosnov, head of the consular department of the Russian Embassy, ​​told TASS.

The diplomat suggested that those who were not wearing seat belts were injured. They were all taken to hospital in Bangkok.

Aeroflot reported that there were 313 passengers on board, 27 of them were hospitalized, 11 have already been discharged. The airline did not specify the citizenship of the victims.

In turn, Sosnov from the embassy said that 24 Russians and three Thai nationals were admitted to the hospital. Earlier, the embassy reported that the injured Russians had fractures and bruises, and “some required surgery.”

“The information disseminated by a number of media outlets that as a result of the incident several passengers suffered a compression fracture of the spine does not correspond to reality,” Aeroflot emphasizes in a statement.

The company insists that there are no patients on board its plane in serious condition after the incident. Those who suffered broken limbs or bruises remained in the hospital.

“The condition of all the victims is assessed by doctors as moderate, there is no threat to life,” Oleg Salagai, a representative of the Russian Ministry of Health, confirmed to Interfax.

"Clear Sky Turbulence"

The Interfax agency's interlocutor, in turn, told what happened in the sky.

“The Boeing 777 aircraft unexpectedly encountered a zone of severe turbulence before starting its descent. That is, there was no obligation to fasten seat belts at that moment,” he explained.

“As a result of a strong shock, the plane was thrown 100-200 meters up, some of the unfastened passengers were thrown into the aisle by inertia and were injured,” the source said.

According to him, as a result of the impact, the plane's cabin was partially spontaneously switched to emergency mode, and "oxygen masks were released over some seats."

“Some of the victims with the most serious injuries, including fractures, were immediately hospitalized,” the Interfax source added.

The Aeroflot airline itself stated that the crew could not warn passengers about the danger in advance in this situation.

“The turbulence that the Boeing 777 encountered is known in aviation as “clear sky turbulence,” Aeroflot said in a statement. “Its main feature is that it does not occur in clouds, but in clear skies with good visibility, where weather radar cannot detect its approach."

“Therefore, the crew does not have the opportunity to warn passengers about the need to return to their seats,” the airline explained.

According to an Interfax source, the plane was not damaged as a result of the incident and has already taken off on its return flight to Moscow.