Severe turbulence injures 9 aboard Avianca flight, forcing emergency landing in Miami

Nine people were injured when an Avianca flight encountered severe turbulence and had to make an emergency landing in Miami early Friday.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said that one person was rushed to a trauma center with severe injuries while seven others were taken to area hospitals in ambulances after the plane landed shortly after 3 a.m. Friday. The airline said nine people — three crew members and six passengers — were affected by the turbulence.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the Avianca flight was en route from Medellin, Colombia, to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York when the Airbus A320 had to divert to Miami.

Avianca said the unhurt passengers were rebooked on other flights to continue their trip to New York. The airline said “the safety of our customers and employees is, and will remain, the foundation of our operations.”

Serious injuries from in-flight turbulence are rare, but scientists say they may be becoming more common as climate change alters the jet stream. The International Air Transport Association said the number of reports it received about turbulence incidents surged more than 25% last year.

Last summer, 24 people were taken to the hospital after a Delta Air Lines flight encountered turbulence caused by a thunderstorm over Wyoming. The National Transportation Safety Board has said passengers and flight attendants were thrown into the ceiling with enough force to crack some of the interior panels before tossing them back to the floor and then up again. The seat belt sign was off at the time so some passengers were up and drinks were being served when that plane hit the turbulence.

At least 20 passengers have filed lawsuits against Delta over that incident, arguing the airline could have avoided the severe weather.

The FAA recommends that passengers stay buckled whenever possible to protect against unexpected turbulence.