MEA plane faces troubles over Cedars, 21 injured

A plane belonging to Middle East Airlines, Lebanon's national flag carrier, ran into turbulence Sunday over the Lebanese Cedar mountains, injuring 21 people and spreading panic on board and on the ground.

MEA's acting chairman, Khattar Hadathi, said the pilot ran into what is commonly known as a "mountain wave" which causes the plane to drop sharply from a high altitude at high speed. But the pilot of the Airbus, carrying 125 passengers from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was in "full control" and managed to land safely at Beirut International Airport, he said.

Hadathi said such incidents were not uncommon and were unrelated to the condition of the planes.

"I would like to assure everyone that MEA planes are in perfect condition and meet international standards" for aviation, he added.

Twenty-one people were taken to hospitals for treatment, but their injuries were said to be mostly bruises caused by panic and commotion.

All but three of the injured left the hospital Sunday. The condition of the remaining three was described as "not serious" but doctors said they were keeping them under surveillance.