Turbulent AirAsia Flight

An Air Asia X flight from Perth, Australia, to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was forced to turn around after the plane began to violently shake. The turbulence was so severe on flight D7237 that the pilot asked passengers to pray twice! Passengers were also told to brace for impact during the landing at the Perth airport, though the landing ended up pretty smooth.

A spokesperson said that the pilot noticed some “technical issues” and was forced to turn the plane back around.

The person who recorded this video said: "I thought I might die. Today was my beginning the trip back to Perth. Luckily, I survived."

While air travel is, statistically speaking, the safest method of transportation, a bit of turbulence can put even the most seasoned journeyman at the edge of their seat. Where statistics are concerned, 2016 was the second safest year in all of aviation history. Out of the millions of take-offs, only 19 planes had fatal landings, causing around 300 deaths.

Turbulence is common, both close to the ground and in the air. Remember, airplanes move on air currents and most of the time they are smooth. But like the ocean, air currents can get a bit violent at times, causing the plane to sway in the sky.