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At least eight people were taken to hospitals early Friday after severe, “unexpected” turbulence forced a flight from Colombia to New York City to divert to Miami International Airport.
Avianca Flight 42, traveling from Medellín, Colombia, to John F. Kennedy International Airport, landed safely in Miami around 3:30 a.m., Miami-Dade Fire Rescue told The Independent.
“According to the report, three cabin crew members and six passengers were affected by the turbulence,” the Colombian airline said in a statement. “Upon arrival, Avianca’s team and airport medical services activated the appropriate protocols to provide immediate care.”
MDFR reported eight patients in total. One was taken to the main trauma center by fire rescue crews, while seven others were transported to local hospitals by private ambulances.
Onboard video obtained by NBC 6 South Florida appears to show passengers holding ice packs to their heads and being instructed to remain seated. An overhead compartment reportedly came undone during the turbulence, while other footage showed people on stretchers and one passenger wearing a neck brace.
Miami International Airport said the incident was upgraded to a Level 1 mass casualty event because of the number of patients. The designation typically applies to emergencies involving three to 10 patients that strain or overwhelm local emergency medical resources. The extent of the passengers’ injuries remains unclear.
Passenger Maria Paula Jimenez, who was at the airport as the flight arrived, said she saw several ambulances waiting on the tarmac to assist those aboard the plane.
“When we arrived, when we landed, we saw that very close to where we were going to disembark, there were more than five or six ambulances. Seven of them with their lights on as if they were waiting for something,” Jimenez told CBS Miami in Spanish.
“When we arrived, well, you know, it wasn’t normal.”
Avianca said its airport team was helping the remaining passengers arrange onward travel to New York City.
“Avianca remains in contact with the affected passengers and crew members as it continues to respond to the situation. The safety of our customers and employees is, and will remain, the foundation of our operations,” the airline’s statement read.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident, the agency told The Independent.
