Ottawa, Dec 31 (IANS): A total of 21 passengers, including three children, on an Air Canada flight from China were injured in a severe turbulence and taken to hospital, the media reported on Thursday.

Flight AC088 was en route to Toronto from Shanghai Pudong Airport on Wednesday but was hit by violent turbulence and forced to stop in the city of Calgary in west Canada's Alberta province to treat the injured, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Boeing 777-300ER carrying 332 passengers and 19 crew members landed at 3:23 p.m. at Calgary, Air Canada said in a statement.

Passengers and crew have been examined by medical personnel and the injured, most of whom were Chinese, have been transferred directly to local hospitals. 

Calgary Emergency Medical Services (EMS) spokesperson Stuart Brideaux said mass casualty protocol was enacted as 15 ambulances were dispatched to treat the injured passengers. None of injuries were life-threatening.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada was alerted about the incident by the airline and is deploying an investigator to the Calgary airport.