Avianca flight diverted to Miami after severe turbulence leaves nine injured

An Avianca flight from Colombia to New York was forced to make an emergency diversion to Miami on Friday morning after encountering severe, unexpected turbulence mid-flight.

Flight AV042 had departed from José María Córdova International Airport in Medellín at around 8:40 p.m. on Thursday, bound for John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. However, the severe shaking forced the pilots to change course, and the aircraft landed safely at Miami International Airport at approximately 3:30 a.m. local time on Friday.

How many people were injured?

Local emergency services were waiting on the tarmac as the plane landed. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue confirmed that they responded to reports of multiple injuries on board and transported eight people to a local hospital by ambulance. Emergency officials added that one of those hospitalised was admitted under a trauma alert.

Avianca, however, put the number of injured slightly higher. In an official statement, the Colombian airline said that nine people—six passengers and three cabin crew members—suffered injuries or "affectations" associated with the turbulence. The airline said its ground staff and airport medical services immediately activated emergency protocols to treat those affected upon arrival.

What did passengers say about the turbulence?

Passengers on board described a scene of terror as the aircraft began to shake violently. "We thought it was our last day," one passenger told Telemundo 51 after landing. "We thought that was it. It was incredibly strong, unlike anything I have ever experienced." She added that the plane hit at least three major pockets of severe turbulence.

Mobile phone footage taken inside the cabin showed passengers holding ice packs to their heads, while flight crew instructed everyone to keep their seatbelts securely fastened.

Another passenger, Maria Paula Jimenez, told CBS News Miami that the scene on the ground was equally alarming. "When we landed, we saw five or six ambulances very close to where we were going to park, several of them with their sirens on as if they were waiting for something," she said. "When we arrived, we knew it wasn't a normal landing."

What happens next for the passengers?

For the passengers who did not require medical attention, the delay in Miami was relatively brief. Avianca confirmed that it arranged a replacement schedule to ensure they could complete their journey.

The remaining passengers reboarded the aircraft and were scheduled to take off from Miami at 8:25 a.m. local time on Friday, with an expected arrival at JFK Airport in New York at around 10:40 a.m.

Avianca said it remains in contact with the injured passengers and crew members to monitor their recovery.