Eleven passengers were injured and a three-day stay in Bermuda over Christmas was unexpectedly imposed after extreme turbulence forced a cruise charter flight from Barbados to Manchester to make an emergency landing. The incident occurred aboard Maleth Aero Flight 1975, an Airbus A300-200, which had been carrying 225 passengers returning from a P&O Caribbean cruise. The flight, which had taken off an hour late, was scheduled to arrive in Manchester on December 24th, just in time for Christmas Day celebrations. However, two-and-a-half hours into the journey and cruising at an altitude of 38,000 feet, the aircraft encountered severe "clear-air turbulence". In response, the pilots decided to divert to the closest airport, LF Wade International Airport in Bermuda, and ultimately landed on Christmas Eve, five hours after departure.

Though the 13 crew members remained unharmed, 11 passengers sustained injuries during the incident. Fortunately, these injuries were classified as minor and did not require extensive medical treatment. The injured passengers were provided with immediate medical attention upon landing. The exact details of their injuries have not been disclosed.

As a result of the emergency diversion, the passengers were unexpectedly stranded in Bermuda for three days, encompassing Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and most of Boxing Day. The P&O Cruises spokesperson expressed regret for the disruption to the passengers' journey and assured them that efforts were underway to expedite their safe return home. The flight was scheduled to depart Bermuda at 4pm on Boxing Day and arrive in Manchester in the early hours of December 27th, after mandatory aircraft checks had been conducted.

Following the incident, Bermuda's acting Minister of National Security, Owen Darrell, acknowledged the situation and thanked the emergency services personnel for their swift response, ensuring the safety of passengers and crew. The Ministry of National Security, along with other relevant authorities, stated that they were working collaboratively to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. They also assured that necessary support would be provided to the passengers, crew, and airline officials.

This incident has brought attention to earlier complaints from P&O Cruises customers regarding the use of Maleth Aero for their winter flying programme between the UK and Barbados. Some customers expressed discontent, as they had anticipated flying with well-known carriers like Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, or Tui. However, it should be noted that Maleth Aero meets all European Union safety standards.

In light of the emergency landing and subsequent disruption, P&O Cruises and Maleth Aero are working together to accommodate the affected passengers and ensure their safe return home as soon as possible. Passengers have been provided with accommodations in Bermuda while awaiting their rescheduled departure.