Turbulence hurts 6, including KC and The Sunshine Band singer

File photo

Six people were hurt on Tuesday morning when a Manila-bound aircraft encountered turbulence as it approached Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).

Among those who sustained slight injuries was American singer Anika Ellis-Mungin, a member of the KC and The Sunshine Band, who flew in for a concert scheduled for Wednesday. The group will also perform at the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix  on September 17-18. 

According to Philippine Airlines (PAL) spokesperson Cielo Villaluna, PAL flight PR 1103 from Los Angeles, which had 248 passengers on board, experienced clear air turbulence at 6:21 a.m. as it was approaching Naia for landing.

Villaluna said two passengers —one of them Mungin—and four crew members received first-aid treatment on the aircraft and further medical assistance upon landing at Terminal 1.

A report from Terminal 1 medical officer Dr. Lotis Venus Love Casiple said two of the cabin crew members hit their head hard on the aircraft’s ceiling and were advised to undergo tests in the hospital after they complained of neck and back pain.

Two other stewardesses hurt their arms, while Ellis-Mungin complained of a headache and had a slight contusion. Cold compress was applied on the swollen part of her head and she was advised to see a doctor if the ache persists.

The other passenger, a 43-year-old man, sustained abrasions on his leg. –Jeannette I. Andrade