China Southern Airlines flight forced to divert amid ‘terrifying’ turbulence

A routine China Southern Airlines flight from Guangdong province on Monday evening turned into a “terrifying” ordeal for passengers as the plane encountered severe turbulence while the crew diverted the plane from its destination, the city of Taiyuan.

“In accordance with safety procedures”, the flight diverted to Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport in Hebei province “due to thunderstorms” in Taiyuan, the airline said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Many passengers were screaming,” a passenger surnamed Wang told Jimu News, an official newspaper affiliated with the Hubei Communist Party committee. “I just gripped the armrest tightly, shut my eyes and felt my heart jump into my throat. I was terrified but did not dare to speak.”

She said that the flight had been smooth after departing from Zhuhai, and at around 9.20pm the crew announced that the plane was preparing to land in Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi.

But instead of descending, another announcement said weather in Taiyuan had made landing impossible and the flight would divert to Shijiazhuang, she said.

The stretch from Taiyuan to Shijiazhuang experienced severe turbulence and flashes of lightning visible were outside the windows, Wang said. “After the screams subsided, the cabin became very quiet, and you could feel the tension everywhere.”

According to flight-tracking platform Umetrip, flight CZ3791 – a Boeing 737 aircraft with 164 seats – departed Zhuhai Jinwan Airport at 6.50pm on Monday and landed in Shijiazhuang at 9.53pm.