TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas — A Central Texas man is suing German airline Lufthansa claiming he suffered serious injuries during a flight from Austin to Germany.
According to documents obtained by KVUE, Elwaleed Sidahmed said his March 2023 flight on Lufthansa encountered "severe and violent turbulence" that left him with a lumbar back fracture and a herniated disc.
The lawsuit claims that about an hour into Lufthansa Flight 469, the plane Sidahmed was on flew into "exceptionally strong, dangerous, severe and extreme turbulence," which caused several passengers, including Sidahmed, to fly out of their seats and slam against the cabin's interior.
At least seven people were injured on the flight, which had to be diverted to Dulles International Airport in Virginia. A man who claimed his wife was on the plane told KVUE sister station WUSA the people injured weren't wearing seatbelts because the turbulence came as a surprise.
According to the lawsuit, Lufthansa's flight crew told passengers they encountered an unanticipated storm pattern over Tennessee. It also claims severe thunderstorms were forecasted along Flight 469's path before takeoff, showing a Tornado Watch was issued for the region along the flight path.
The lawsuit also claims Lufthansa directed passengers to delete any photos and videos taken during the flight or its aftermath.