A brief period of severe turbulence caused injuries to nine passengers and one cabin crew member on a Virgin Atlantic flight from Jamaica to London Gatwick.
A report released today by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch said pilots had already changed course to avoid ‘significant weather’ they had seen on the weather radar.
But, when the turbulence struck there was no significant weather indicated on the radar.
The injured crew member, who was lying down in a rest area at the time, suffered head and neck injuries and had to be treated in hospital after landing at Gatwick.
Two passengers were also taken to hospital, one for a knee laceration.
The incident happened in the early hours of November 14 2013 around 300 miles south of St John’s in Newfoundland.
Medically qualified volunteers from among the 400 passengers had helped to care for the injured during the rest of the flight.
Detailing the incident, the report said: "The commander recalled seeing a flash outside, which he thought may have been lightning associated with a thunderstorm cell beneath the aircraft. Suddenly, the turbulence increased markedly and became severe for a while."
At one point the turbulence was so bad a crew member had trouble securing herself in her harness.
