FOURTEEN passengers and two flight crew have been been treated in hospital in Ireland after a transatlantic flight was forced to make an emergency landing.
Aviation officials said the United Airlines flight from Houston, Texas in the US to London Heathrow had to be diverted to Shannon Airport after hitting severe turbulence.
The plane landed safely at 5.55am and ambulance crews were on the runway to meet the flight.
A spokeswoman for Shannon Airport said the 16 injured people were taken to University Hospital Limerick.
The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) said it would be investigating the incident.
It said the flight travelled through "unexpected turbulence" which led to passengers and crew being injured before the pilot diverted the plane to Ireland.
Air traffic control officers at Shannon Airport were notified at 3.20am that the United Airlines aircraft UA880 was making the unscheduled landing.
Some 223 passengers and 12 crew were on board and they were met by ambulance crews and paramedics.
"Shannon air traffic control facilitated the flight diversion and the aircraft landed safely," a spokesman for the IAA said.
