Additional Coverage:
Dr. Cecilia Laguzzi, a mother of two, was returning to Uruguay from Barcelona on an overnight Air Europa flight when she experienced severe turbulence that woke her from sleep. The situation was so intense that her 2-year-old son was found stuck above the overhead compartment.
“It was an unforgettable image,” Laguzzi recounted to “Good Morning America.” She added that the flight, originally from Madrid to Montevideo, Uruguay, had to be diverted to Brazil for safety concerns after the turbulence caused several passengers and objects to collide with the cabin ceiling. The aircraft made a safe landing at Natal International Airport in São Gonçalo do Amarante, where a number of passengers received treatment for serious injuries.
Laguzzi, who is a surgeon, was traveling with her husband and children after completing a three-month internship in Barcelona. She described waking up to objects striking her, leading to a hard fall.
“It felt like we were in free fall for an eternity,” she explained. After the turbulence subsided, she initiated a frantic search for her children in the chaotic cabin, finding her son eventually with the help of another passenger who spotted him crying above the luggage area.
The ordeal resulted in about 40 injuries, some severe, according to airport officials. Three dozen individuals were treated on-site, while ten needed hospital transfers for further care; seven were reported to be in serious, but stable condition the following day.
Following the incident, Laguzzi assisted fellow passengers with injuries ranging from severe back pain to fractures. Based on her assessment, she advised the crew to prioritize an emergency landing to provide immediate medical attention rather than continue the flight to Uruguay.
The emergency landing was executed around 2:32 a.m. local time, after which first responders began triaging. Passengers faced hours of delay, eventually being bussed to Recife to continue their journey to Montevideo.
The whole event, described by Laguzzi as traumatizing, especially given her young children’s presence, remains under investigation by Air Europa. She expressed a hesitancy to fly again soon, highlighting the vulnerability parents feel in such overwhelming scenarios.
ABC News contributor and retired Marine Corps fighter pilot Col. Steve Ganyard noted that such turbulence encounters underscore the robustness of aircraft and the safety afforded by seatbelts, pointing out that most injuries occur to those not buckled in.