A Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300, registration A7-BAN performing flight QR-708 (Dec. 3) from Washington Dulles, DC (U.S.) to Doha (Qatar) with 350 people on board, was enroute at FL310 over the Atlantic Ocean about 115nm northeast of Lajes Terceira Island (Portugal) when the crew initiated a diversion to Lajes reporting a number of injuries on board after experiencing turbulence. The aircraft entered a hold at 6,000 feet to dump fuel and landed safely on Lajes' runway 15 about 35 minutes after setting course towards Lajes.

Radar data do not show any altitude deviation in the last 45 minutes prior to the diversion (from about 420nm westnorthwest of Lajes until leaving FL310).

Passengers reported the aircraft dropped suddenly causing passengers with seatbelts not fastened to be thrown out of their seats, for example a three year old boy was thrown across the aisle onto the lap of another passenger, other passengers hit the ceiling resulting in a number of injuries. A number of oxygen masks dropped as result of the turbulence encounter. The aircraft needs to overnight in Lajes due to crew duty time limitation.

some passengers bleeding after flung in the air, hitting the ceiling + landing in the aisles after plane suddenly lost altitude.

- Azad Essa (@azadessa) December 4, 2016

when plane dropped, three year old Lebanese boy flew out his seat, and landed across aisle into the lap of an Indian man who held him #QR708

- Azad Essa (@azadessa) December 4, 2016

A hospital on Terceira Island reported that three passengers were taken to the hospital, two were discharged after treatment, a third remains in hospital care.

The passengers were taken to hotels.

A replacement Boeing 777-300 registration A7-BAH has been dispatched to Lajes and is estimated to continue the flight in the morning of Dec 5th, while the occurrence aircraft is being checked for possible structural damage.

Portugals GPIAA have opened an investigation into the occurrence.

According to information The Aviation Herald received the severe turbulence lasted for four minutes.