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A flight attendant was seriously injured after United Airlines Flight 115 encountered turbulence over the Pacific Ocean while traveling from San Francisco to Papeete, the capital city of French Polynesia on the island of Tahiti.
United Airlines confirmed the turbulence struck mid-flight aboard a Boeing 787-9 carrying 165 people. No passengers were hurt, and the plane landed safely at its destination, where paramedics were already waiting on the ground. The airline has not disclosed the condition of the injured crew member.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, United described the incident as "moderate turbulence." However, federal investigators have opened a formal inquiry into the event.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed Thursday (April 2) that it has launched an investigation into the incident, classifying it as a turbulence encounter. The agency noted that its probe is ongoing. NTSB investigations of this kind can take a year or more to complete due to the volume of data that must be collected and reviewed.
The NTSB has not set a timeline for completing its review of the Flight 115 turbulence incident.