At least 36 people including kids are injured on Hawaiian Airlines flight some knocked unconscious

At least 36 people were injured, with some knocked unconscious and at least one report of a passenger suffering a broken neck while onboard a Hawaiian Airlines flight from Phoenix, Arizona to Honolulu, Hawaii on Sunday after it encountered severe turbulence. 

It occurred approximately 30 minutes before landing and led to 11 people being seriously hurt, including several children and a 14-month-old baby.

Passengers on Flight 35 sustained a variety of injuries, including serious head injuries, cuts and bruises.

Emergency services, including firefighters, ambulance crews, and the state Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Team, were called to the airport to respond to the 'mass casualty emergency' that occurred around 11am. 

Of the injured individuals, 20 were taken to the emergency room, with 11 in serious condition and nine in stable condition. 

'Scariest experience flying: very strong turbulence happened mid flight & some ppl with head injuries from hitting the ceiling. i’m safe just very shaken up,' wrote lynnxxy on Twitter. 

'Made it home safe but will be going to the hospital later to check if i have an injury from whiplash or on my waist from the seatbelt when i floated up from my seat a bit,' they added. 

The National Weather Service suggested the severe turbulence may have been caused by the flight passing through a storm, as there were scattered thunderstorms in the area at the time. 

The incident occurred while the plane was at cruising altitude at 36,000ft as a strong cold front began to affect the state, bringing the possibility of strong winds, heavy rains, and thunderstorms. 

One passenger, Kaylee Reyes, said the turbulence occurred about half an hour before landing.

Moments earlier, mother had just sat down in her seat and had not yet fastened her seatbelt. 

'She flew up and hit the ceiling,' Reyes told Hawaii News Now.