Date: 201711
Location: ZZZ.ARTCC, US
Weather elements / visibility: Thunderstorm
Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Cruise
Airspace: Class A ZZZ
ATC / advisory: Center ZZZ
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Dispatcher
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure
Anomaly: Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Detector: Person Dispatch
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition
Contributing factors: Weather
Primary problem: Weather

Narrative: All remarks on flight plan to expect CDR's; where light to ocnl mdt turb will occur and wet rnwys planned in [destination airport]. [Aircraft] was cleared [to their destination] with thunderstorms on rte just south. On climbout sigmet for convt wx was sent up. 1 PIREP around FL340 for MOD turb was around the area; the crew was flying FL370; so I did not send this up as well. Was a busy day on the desk with weather around most of my flights; so I needed to work on releases getting out; head was in sabre mostly. About 10 mins after sending up convt sigmet; TAPS was reporting from this aircraft Light and then MOD reports. These reports were being sent back to the aircraft. Looking at the history of this flight; in a period of 8 mins; 13 reports were sent to aircraft with last report being SEV. As I was going thru all these messages as well; I saw the severity increase. When SEV report was received; I sent a message to crew asking if pax and crew safe; any injuries. At that point; [the flight] was not on my [screen] any longer. I called [management] to let them know what was going on and that I have no further info as my ACARS was not responded to and now I did not have the aircraft on my screen. Then it popped back up as in descent. I sent the next message asking if they are [diverting] and eventually did get a reply that yes; and squawking 7700 with SEV Turb. I do feel there was a substantial wait and it was due to them weeding out unnecessary info feeding off their ACARS. This was a very time sensitive matter and did not appreciate all the needless 'chatter' feeding back to the plane that was the originator of the MOD and SEV taps reports. [The diversion airport] was -TSRA in the METAR on descent; but there was no time to deviate from captain's plan. All I could do was try to assist as best as possible. I gave them [another airport] as an alternate and sent up landing data; which was unnecessary as they were on final by the time all calls were made and landing data was available. Medical was requested; so was first call. Then [management]; then ATC coordinator. MX and [Operations] eventually called me as I could not be fast enough to make all calls and get diversion in. Neighbor did help; but this was such a fast scenario; that my own mind could not spit out directions fast enough for them to be totally useful. Plane landing in -TSRA in [the diversion airport] safely. No injuries were reported; thank god; and crew talked with [Duty Manager] upon safe arrival into gate where more info was obtained. This flight did encounter SEV turb and dropped 4;000 feet and the crew could not maintain airspeed. [Management] and Chief did need to take flights off my desk. I had 25 flights. I was never able to catch back up and my main concern was the safety of my flights in air at that point.




Synopsis: Air carrier Dispatcher reported company aircraft encountered severe turbulence that resulted in a diversion.