A flight encountered severe clear air turbulence (CAT), causing injuries to a passenger and a crew member. 

The Air China Airbus A330-300, on its route from Shanghai to Beijing, met with the unexpected CAT incident on Monday, July 10, at an altitude of 35,000 feet. Xing Lida, an associate professor at the China University of Geosciences, documented the shocking experience on the social media platform Weibo. He reported that the CAT occurred during the final half-hour of what had until then been a tranquil journey, leading to chaotic scenes inside the aircraft as the plane dropped several hundred feet. An overhead exit sign was dislodged when a female passenger and a crew member were thrown against the cabin ceiling, causing it to crack.

Social media posts shared after the incident showed a cabin littered with pillows, reading materials, and other belongings, indicating the severity of the turbulence. Amidst the chaos, the flight attendants exhibited exemplary courage, focusing on the safety of the passengers and providing immediate and professional aid to the injured.

The flight safely landed in Beijing at 5:18 pm local time, after which a passenger and a crew member were transferred to a nearby hospital. Although the exact details of their injuries are undisclosed, Xing noted that some passengers suffered from sprains and superficial injuries. Air China has not yet updated the condition of the hospitalized individuals.