Turbulence on diverted United flight leaves 12 in hospital

A transatlantic United Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Ireland on Wednesday after the plane was hit by severe turbulence that left 12 people in need of hospital treatment, according to the airline and the airport.London-bound flight UA880 from Houston, Texas made an emergency landing shortly before 6 am in Shannon airport, where it was met by ambulances on the runway, an airport spokeswoman told DPA.There were 207 passengers and 13 flight crew on board the Boeing 767.Passengers took to social media to describe scenes of "pure chaos" and said they had feared for their lives.A spokesman for United Airlines said it was "providing care and support to customers and crew."The injured passengers, two of whom were children, were hospitalised with head injuries and lacerations, according to local news website Limerick Leader.All but one of the 10 injured passengers and two flight crew could later be released from Limerick hospital, according to the airline.