Avianca Flight Diverted to Miami After Severe Turbulence Injures Eight

An Avianca Airlines flight bound for New York City was diverted to Miami International Airport early Friday morning after encountering severe turbulence that caused a sudden drop in altitude and resulted in eight passengers being hospitalized.

Flight 42, traveling from Medellín, Colombia, to John F. Kennedy International Airport, was at an altitude of 35,000 feet over the Caribbean when the aircraft, an Airbus A320, plummeted an estimated 25,000 feet, according to FlightRadar24 data. The incident occurred approximately two and a half hours into the journey.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to the scene, classifying the event as a Level One Mass Casualty Incident due to the number of patients requiring medical attention. Of the eight injured, one passenger was transported by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue to a trauma center, while the remaining seven were taken to local hospitals by private ambulances. Footage from inside the plane showed passengers receiving ice packs for head injuries and being instructed to remain seated with seatbelts fastened.

Avianca Airlines confirmed that three cabin crew members and six passengers were affected by the turbulence. The airline stated that arrangements were made for the remaining passengers to continue their travel to New York, with assistance and support provided. "The safety of our customers and employees is, and will remain, the foundation of our operations," Avianca said in a statement.

Passengers described the experience as terrifying. One woman told NBC 6 that the incident made her "value your life so much." Another passenger, Maria Paula Jimenez, recounted seeing numerous ambulances with lights on awaiting the flight's arrival at the Miami airport, noting that the scene was "not normal."

The Federal Aviation Administration has announced it will investigate the incident. Following the diversion, Flight 42 departed from Miami at 8:35 a.m. and arrived in New York at 10:50 a.m. on Friday.