Eight individuals were hospitalized early Friday following a severe bout of turbulence that forced an Avianca flight to make an emergency landing in Miami. The flight, originating in Medellin, Colombia, was en route to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York.
According to FlightAware, the plane departed Medellin at 10:40 p.m. local time. Approximately three hours into the journey, the aircraft encountered significant turbulence, prompting the diversion. The flight ultimately landed in Miami around 3:30 a.m. Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue officials confirmed that "multiple patients" required medical attention upon arrival, with ambulances reportedly waiting on the tarmac.
Witnesses described seeing several ambulances, their lights activated, as the plane prepared to disembark. One passenger, Maria Paula Jimenez, told CBS Miami that the scene was unusual, noting the presence of more than five or six ambulances near their disembarkation point.
Video footage circulating online appeared to show passengers being attended to, some with ice packs on their heads, while remaining seated. Fire officials confirmed that eight people were transported to the hospital, though the severity of their injuries was not immediately disclosed.
Avianca has scheduled a subsequent flight from Miami to JFK to depart later Friday morning.