A TOTAL of 21 passengers, including three children, on an Air Canada flight from China were injured and taken to hospital after severe turbulence Wednesday, according to Air Canada.

    Flight AC088 was en route to Toronto from Shanghai Pudong Airport but was hit by violent turbulence and forced to stop in the city of Calgary in west Canada’s Alberta province to treat the injured.

    The Boeing 777-300ER carrying 332 passengers and 19 crew members landed without incident at 3:23 p.m. local time (10:23 p.m. GMT) in Calgary, Air Canada said in a statement.

    Passengers and crew have been examined by medical personnel and the injured, most of whom were Chinese, have been transferred directly to local hospitals. Passengers recalled that the crew handled the incident professionally.

    Calgary Emergency Medical Services (EMS) spokesperson Stuart Brideaux said a mass casualty protocol was enacted as 15 ambulances were dispatched to treat the injured passengers. EMS officials confirmed that none of the injuries were life-threatening. Eight passengers suffered neck and back injuries and 13 more were taken to hospital for observation.

    The injured were in a stable condition, an emergency services spokesman said.(Xinhua)