Turbulence on Malaysia Airlines flight causes several injuries

Dozens of passengers and crew members have been injured on a Kuala Lumpur-bound Malaysia Airlines flight from London which was hit by severe turbulence, according to the airline and several social media posts. 

The company said there was a "brief moment of severe turbulence" when flight MH1, carrying 378 people on board, flew over the Bay of Bengal. 

“A small number of affected passengers and crew have been treated by medical officers," it said in a statement. 

The plane managed to land safely at Kuala Lumpur. 

A number of passengers who were on the flight posted pictures on social media that showed fallen food carts, seat fittings broken, debris littering the aisle of the cabin and a damaged hand rest on the Airbus A380 jumbo jet.

A 13-year-old passenger, Harith Azman, told The Associated Press that his parents were both using the bathroom at the time and that his father hit his head on the ceiling, but did not require treatment.

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Two minutes after the seat belt sign was turned on over the Bay of Bengal, the plane started shaking violently and then suddenly "dived down," Azman said. It was a "very, very chaotic moment" as people started screaming and a food trolley and other items seemed to be floating in the air, he said.

Malaysian media said 34 passengers and six crew members on board of the plane had been hurt. 

Malaysia Airlines is still trying to recover from two disasters in 2014 — the disappearance of Flight 370 and the loss of another plane shot down over Ukraine.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.

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