Narrative:

Approximately 2 hours into flight, got clearance to climb to FL310. In climb, we noticed a layer of broken clouds with tops near FL320 and bases appeared around FL270. Captain turned on seatbelt sign. We had only 1 min or less before entering cloud bank. It was dusk but not too dark to make out layer. Only radar echo was at 1 O'clock position, 30 NM and all green. No clearly defined tops which you would expect with a cumulonimbus. No PIREPS, no sigmets, no forecast WX for that area, no radar returns straight ahead and to the left, no lightning. Anticipated a few bumps but instead hit big jolts of severe turbulence for approximately 7-10 seconds. Called to purser and she said we had numerous injuries. Several doctors and emt's recommended divert. Coordinated with dispatch, maintenance, and ATC for clearance to auk. Time to achieve all this coordination was 1 hour 15 mins, which I believe should have been shortened considerably. Our 1 hour 15 min flight to auk became 2 hours 45 mins. We coordination with ATC to dump fuel to allow a maximum landing weight. We made an uneventful landing at auk. Captain elected not to declare emergency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC, DURING CLB, ENCOUNTERS SEVERE TURB RESULTING IN PAX INJURIES. FLC ELECTS TO DIVERT TO CLOSEST ARPT.

Narrative: APPROX 2 HRS INTO FLT, GOT CLRNC TO CLB TO FL310. IN CLB, WE NOTICED A LAYER OF BROKEN CLOUDS WITH TOPS NEAR FL320 AND BASES APPEARED AROUND FL270. CAPT TURNED ON SEATBELT SIGN. WE HAD ONLY 1 MIN OR LESS BEFORE ENTERING CLOUD BANK. IT WAS DUSK BUT NOT TOO DARK TO MAKE OUT LAYER. ONLY RADAR ECHO WAS AT 1 O'CLOCK POS, 30 NM AND ALL GREEN. NO CLRLY DEFINED TOPS WHICH YOU WOULD EXPECT WITH A CUMULONIMBUS. NO PIREPS, NO SIGMETS, NO FORECAST WX FOR THAT AREA, NO RADAR RETURNS STRAIGHT AHEAD AND TO THE L, NO LIGHTNING. ANTICIPATED A FEW BUMPS BUT INSTEAD HIT BIG JOLTS OF SEVERE TURB FOR APPROX 7-10 SECONDS. CALLED TO PURSER AND SHE SAID WE HAD NUMEROUS INJURIES. SEVERAL DOCTORS AND EMT'S RECOMMENDED DIVERT. COORDINATED WITH DISPATCH, MAINT, AND ATC FOR CLRNC TO AUK. TIME TO ACHIEVE ALL THIS COORD WAS 1 HR 15 MINS, WHICH I BELIEVE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SHORTENED CONSIDERABLY. OUR 1 HR 15 MIN FLT TO AUK BECAME 2 HRS 45 MINS. WE COORD WITH ATC TO DUMP FUEL TO ALLOW A MAX LNDG WT. WE MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT AUK. CAPT ELECTED NOT TO DECLARE EMER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.