One day after 36 people were injured when a Hawaiian Airlines flight experienced turbulence, another rough ride aboard a passenger plane has left more people hurt.
At least five people -- two passengers and three crew members -- were transported to a hospital Monday after a United Airlines flight from Rio de Janeiro to Houston experienced "severe turbulence," United spokesperson Augusto Bernal told CNN.
All five had suffered minor injuries, per the airline.
"United flight 128 encountered unexpected turbulence while enroute to Houston. Upon arrival, three crew members and two passengers were met by medical personnel and taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. We're grateful to our crew for their efforts to ensure the safety of our employees and customers," the airline said in a statement.
The unexpected turbulence happened as the plane flew directly over Cancun, a Federal Aviation Administration official told KHOU.
On Sunday, a Hawaiian flight to Honolulu experienced turbulence that sent a number of passengers crashing into the plane's ceiling.
Of the 36 who were injured, at least 20 were treated at hospitals -- ranging from adults to a 14 month-old -- and 11 were in serious condition. The flight was heading from Phoenix to Honolulu.
"It was just rocky. And then, it quickly just escalated to, like, the point where we're shaking so much that we were, like, pretty much like floating off of our chairs," passenger Jacie Hayata Ano told KHON.
Another passenger, Kaylee Reyes, said the turbulence hit without warning.
"[My mother] flew up and hit the ceiling," Reyes told Hawaii News Now.
The National Weather Service said the severe turbulence happened at about 36,000 feet.
"We believe the flight may have gone through a thunderstorm, which may have caused the severe turbulence," NWS meteorologist Genki Kino told Hawaii News Now. "During that time, there were scattered thunderstorms everywhere."
Hawaiian Airlines Executive Vice President and COO Jon Snook called the turbulence a rare occasion.
"There was no warning of this particular patch of air at that altitude was dangerous," Snook told KHON. "It caught everyone by surprise, which is often the case."
Both incidents remain under investigation by the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board.
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