Avianca Flight AV042, an Airbus A320 travelling from Medellín, Colombia, to New York John F. Kennedy International Airport, diverted to Miami early on 9 October after encountering unexpected turbulence. The aircraft landed safely at Miami International Airport at about 3:25 a.m. local time, with six passengers and three cabin crew members affected. Eight people were taken to hospitals, including one to a trauma centre.
The diversion was made as a precaution under Avianca’s safety procedures. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue transported seven people to local hospitals and one to a trauma centre. The remaining passengers were assisted with arrangements to continue to New York.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident. Flight-tracking data indicated a sharp descent after the aircraft had climbed to approximately 36,000 feet, but the data does not establish the cause of the descent or the injuries. The location and cause of the turbulence had not been publicly determined, and authorities had not confirmed whether weather contributed to the event.
CBS News Miami reported that seven of the hospitalised people had been discharged by Friday evening. The condition of the eighth person was not immediately available. The affected-person total reported by Avianca covers six passengers and three crew members, while the emergency services figure refers to hospital transports.