Passengers hospitalised after Qantas flight from Hong Kong to Perth hit by turbulence

The disruption occurred about 4 hours out of Hong Kong, Sydney-based Qantas said in a statement sent by e-mail today. The captain of flight QF68, an Airbus SAS A330-300, reported damage to two overhead panels in the cabin. Two oxygen masks were also dislodged, it said.

Although several passengers who weren't wearing seatbelts were hurled around the cabin, most of the injuries are believed to have been minor. Qantas flight QF68 operated normally and landed in Perth, capital of Western Australia state. Eight patients were taken to Royal Perth Hospital and two adults and three children are in a stable condition at Swan Districts Hospital in Perth's east.

Qantas says the aircraft's difficulties aren't linked to any recent problems the airline has experienced with its own A330 fleet, or the Air France A330-200 which crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on May 31 with 228 people on board.

"The aircraft most likely encountered what is known as convective turbulence, which led to it rapidly gaining around 800 feet in altitude before returning to its cruising altitude of 38,000 feet," said Qantas Group Executive Government and Corporate Affairs David Epstein.

"This convective turbulence is not normally visible to weather radar," he said.

Qantas reported the incident to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which will investigate.