Airbus A330-200 owned by Air China. [File Photo: Carnoc.com]

Seventeen people were injured, one of them seriously, after an Air China flight from Frankfurt to Shanghai hit severe turbulence on Sunday, the airport authority said on Monday.

The Airbus A330-200 encountered turbulence around noon as it began its descent for Pudong International Airport, the nation’s flagship carrier said. An airline press officer said several passengers on flight CA936 had not fastened their seat belt leading to the high number of injuries.

Passengers said luggage from overhead cabins fell on them. Some oxygen masks came off as well.

A German couple in their 70s were among those injured, the health and family planning commission of Pudong New Area said.

“My wife was hit by a falling luggage. I fell down and hurt my knee because I had just removed the safety belt to change seat,” the elderly German told Shanghai Television Station.

Crew members kept reminding passengers to remain seated and fasten the belts, Air China said. Two of the crew members were among those injured.

The flight captain asked the ground crew to call for ambulances, which waited at the apron as the flight landed. The injured were rushed to the nearby hospital, the airline said in a statement.

Four of the injured were over 50 years old and were still receiving treatment at the Pudong New Area People’s Hospital. A woman suffered a lumbar fracture and had bruises on her chest, belly and buttock. The hospital said 13 women and four male passengers were brought in.

Most of them suffered head injuries. Few others hurt their ankles and wrists, said Qi Weigang, a hospital doctor.

Twelve of them were released last night. One of them asked to be moved to the Shanghai No.6 People’s Hospital.

Air China had dispatched staff to accompany the injured passengers to the hospital, said Wang Tiezheng, a customer service official with the airline. The Civil Aviation Administration of China has already launched an investigation into the incident, Wang said.

The airline again reminded passengers to fasten their safety belt for the entire journey as more heavy turbulence are expected in the coming days.

The aircraft is relatively new and was handed over to the carrier in late 2006.