JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – Severe turbulence struck a South African Airways plane that was heading to Hong Kong, injuring 20 people before the aircraft landed safely on Wednesday, the ******* said.

Medics were waiting at the Hong Kong airport to assist passengers on SA286, which had departed Johannesburg on Tuesday, the ******* said in a statement. Television footage showed rescue workers wheeling one ******* passenger on a stretcher.

Three crewmembers and 17 passengers were *******, ******* spokesman Tlali Tlali said. The Hong Kong **** department said two people were critically *******. The ******* were taken to three hospitals.

The ******* said 165 passengers were on the Airbus 340-300 when the turbulence hit the aircraft as it flew over Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital.