Southwest Airlines flight leaves 4 people hospitalized after the plane encountered turbulence over Utah

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Southwest Airlines flight leaves 4 people hospitalized after the plane encountered turbulence over Utah
The Southwest flight was approaching Salt Lake City, Utah. Markus Mainka/Shutterstock.com
  • Four people were hospitalized after experiencing turbulence on a Southwest flight.
  • Three flight attendants and a customer were treated for minor injuries, a spokesperson told Insider.
  • The spokesperson said that its initial reports indicated the landing was "uneventful."
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Four people were taken to hospital after experiencing turbulence on a Southwest Airlines flight into Salt Lake City, Utah, on Friday.

Southwest flight 1753 was approaching Salt Lake City, Utah, after departing from Chicago Midway International Airport around 2:30 p.m., when the incident occurred.

The airline told Insider in a statement: "Southwest Flight 1753 in its approach to Salt Lake City this Friday afternoon (after flying from Chicago Midway) experienced moderate turbulence. Fasten seat belt signage was illuminated when the aircraft encountered the turbulence."

It added: "Our initial reports indicate that, following an uneventful landing of the aircraft, three flight attendants and one customer were treated for minor injuries."

Upon landing, those who suffered injuries were taken to Jordan Valley West Hospital in West Valley City, airport spokesperson Nancy Volmer told KUTV.

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This is not the first time Southwest Airlines has made headlines in recent months. Earlier in June, the airline grounded all of its flights in the contiguous US airspace due to an issue with its computer systems.

And in May, a Southwest Airlines flight attendant reportedly lost two teeth after a passenger allegedly assaulted her, according to a letter that a flight-attendant union sent to the company's CEO, Gary Kelly.

A spokesperson told Insider in response to the May incident that the company is working with the FAA to improve safety measures for flight attendants and passengers.

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