Photograph by InSapphoWeTrust
Three crew members and two passengers have been injured after a United Airlines flight 1676 hit severe turbulence en route between Denver, Colorado and Billings, Montana.
Without warning, the plane reportedly dropped sharply to the surprise of both crew and passengers, with one woman hitting her head on the ceiling, according to passenger Bill Dahlin quoted by local news station KTQV-TV.
The captain declared a medical emergency as the plane approached Billings Logan International Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), before landing the Boeing 737 at 01:23 local time (08:23 GMT).
Emergency services were quickly on hand to evacuate those injured to hospital, and the remaining 114 on board safely disembarked.
The two passenger and two of the injured crew members have now been released from hospital, but one crew member remains in a critical condition.