Bermuda last night relived their terror.

And one woman said: "My life flashed before my eyes -- it was a horrible experience.'' The Air Canada flight from Toronto hit massive turbulence as it came into the Island's International Airport around lunchtime yesterday.

The woman said terrified passengers screamed as the plane dropped "like a stone''.

She added: "We all thought this was it -- I've been in turbulence before, but nothing like that.'' The woman -- who asked not to be named -- said that the rough ride broke open cases in the passenger hold, including her own.

There was further confusion on the ground in the Airport's Customs area because some passengers' baggage had been left behind in Toronto.

An Air Canada spokesman said last night a total of 18 suitcases had been left behind, but that the baggage would arrive today.

He said: "It's something which happens on a fairly regular basis. It's not unusual with the numbers travelling at this time of year.'' The weather upset was the latest to hit the Airport, which has suffered as a result of heavy snow on the east coast of America.

Flights to the Island were delayed, and two outbound flights were cancelled.

The American Airlines early morning plane to New York was axed because the incoming flight the night before was snowed in at JFK.

But a spokeswoman for American Airlines said yesterday: "We cannot control the weather and if there are further problems this could change, but as of now all our planes are expected to fly as normal.'' A Continental flight to Newark, also badly hit by snow, scheduled to depart the Island at 1.40 p.m., was also cancelled.

A USAir spokesman said planes from Philadelphia and Baltimore arrived on the Island late, but said further problems were not anticipated.

And a Delta Airlines jet from Boston to Bermuda was more than three hours late.

But flights from Bermuda were not af fected as JFK was closed for four hours after a Tower Air jumbo jet bound for Miami skidded off a runway, closing the airport for four hours to allow spilled fuel to be cleaned up.

A total of 12 people were treated in hospital for minor injuries, but none were detained.

It is understood the pilot of the jet -- which lost two engines and damaged its nose in the skid -- radioed he was having problems with his nosewheel just before the accident.