Breaking: Turbulence Forces NYC-Bound Plane to Land, 8 Hospitalized
At least eight people were injured when an airplane traveling from the South American nation of Colombia to New York City experienced severe turbulence on Friday morning.
Traveling from Medellín, Colombia, to NYC’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, the plane had to be diverted to Miami, according to Fox News.
The plane, which was operated by Avianca, a Colombian airline, landed at Miami International Airport around 3:30 am local time.
Eight injured passengers were taken to a nearby hospital while the remaining passengers were funneled into another flight headed for JFK International. The flight to New York reportedly left at 8:15 am.
Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue say at least eight people were injured in severe turbulence on a flight from Colombia to New York. ABC News’ Elizabeth Schulze reports. https://t.co/UBCBBiq3v1
— ABC News (@ABC) October 9, 2026
An Avianca spokesperson told Fox News that the flight was diverted to Miami due to intense turbulence.
“Flight AV042, operating from Medellín (MDE) to New York (JFK), encountered unexpected turbulence during its journey,” an airline spokesperson said.
“As a precaution and in accordance with the airline’s safety protocols, the flight was diverted to Miami International Airport (MIA), where the aircraft landed safely,” the spokesperson added.
They also noted that “three cabin crew members and six passengers were affected by the turbulence,” though evidently only eight needed medical care.
“Upon arrival, Avianca’s team and airport medical services activated the appropriate protocols to provide immediate care,” the spokesperson continued. “For the remaining passengers, Avianca’s airport team has made the necessary arrangements to continue their travel to New York, providing assistance and support throughout the process.”
🇺🇸🇨🇴 At least eight people were hospitalized after severe turbulence hit a flight to New York, forcing an emergency landing in Miami.
The Avianca plane left Medellín, Colombia, late Thursday bound for JFK.
It diverted about three hours in and landed around 3:30 a.m. Friday, with ambulances waiting on the tarmac.
— NewsForce (@Newsforce) October 9, 2026
Speaking with CBS News, Miami-Dade Rescue revealed that one of the injured passengers had to be taken to a “trauma center.”
CBS News also spoke with a female “passenger” who was at the airport in Miami when Flight AV042 landed. She reported seeing ambulances on the tarmac ready to assist the injured.
“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,” Maria Paula Jimenez said to CBS News in Spanish.
“Seven of them with their lights on as if they were waiting for something,” she added. “When we arrived, well, you know, it wasn’t normal.”
The Federal Aviation Administration has since confirmed to CBS News that it intends to investigate this incident.
According to the New York Post, the plane at one point dropped 25,000 feet.
“The Airbus A320 climbed to around 35,000 feet as it flew over Jamaica and Cuba, heading north, before making a sharp descent about 2 ½ hours into the flight,” the Post reported. “The plane descended 25,000 feet in a matter of minutes.”
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
