************************************************

The Civil Aviation Department (CAD) is investigating an incident today (18 July) which involves the injury of passengers and crew members on board an aircraft of the Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Limited.

Shortly before 2 pm, the Air Traffic Control Centre of the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) received a report that an inbound flight KA060 from Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, had encountered turbulence. Three passengers and six cabin crew members sustained various degrees of injuries or required medical consultation.

The Airbus A330 aircraft was given priority landing on the north runway of HKIA at 2.36 pm. The original scheduled time of arrival of the flight was 2.39 pm.

At the time when the incident occurred, the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 41,000 feet at about 300 nautical miles to the southeast of Hong Kong. The aircraft was within the Manila Flight Information Region then. There were a total of 236 passengers and 14 crew members on board the flight.

Three passengers and six cabin crew members were taken to Tuen Mun Hospital for medical evaluation. Six cabin crew members were also transported to Princess Margaret Hospital for observation.

End/Friday, 18 July 2003

NNNN