Severe turbulence leaves cabin crew member with broken ankle

On a Thomas Cook flight from Varadero Airport, Cuba, to Manchester Airport in the UK earlier this year, sudden unexpected severe turbulence caused two cabin crew members to suffer injuries -- with one flight attendant breaking an ankle and the other receiving bruising to their back and shoulders. A recently released UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch report revealed that turbulence lasting just 90 seconds resulted in this crew member's foot and ankle getting trapped underneath a catering cart. "Their foot remained wedged until the turbulence subsided sufficiently to allow other crew members to help free them," reads the report. The incident took place mid-Atlantic in August 2019, while the plane was cruising at 37,000 feet. The turbulence resulted in a 500-foot altitude gain and autopilot disconnection. Once it ended, autopilot reconnected and the flight carried on the journey to Manchester, where the injured crew member went to hospital upon arrival. The aircraft, an Airbus A330-243, received minor surface damage. Thomas Cook ceased flying in September 2019 when the British tour operator went into compulsory liquidation. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch Report concluded there could have been further injuries had the seat belt signs not been turned on during the incident.<br/>