MIAMI- An Avianca (AV) flight bound for New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) diverted to Miami International Airport (MIA) early Friday, October 9, 2026, after severe turbulence injured passengers and crew members.
The Airbus A320 descended approximately 25,000 feet within minutes before landing in Miami at around 3:30 a.m. local time. Avianca confirmed that nine people, including three crew members, were taken to a medical facility for treatment.
Avianca Flight AV42 Makes Emergency Landing After Severe Turbulence
Avianca Flight AV42 departed Medellín, Colombia, at approximately 10:40 p.m. local time on Thursday, October 8, for New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). The flight was scheduled to operate aboard an Airbus A320.
The aircraft climbed to approximately 35,000 feet while flying north over Jamaica and Cuba. Around two and a half hours into the journey, the aircraft began a rapid descent after encountering severe turbulence.
Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed that the aircraft lost approximately 25,000 feet in a matter of minutes. The crew diverted the flight to Miami International Airport (MIA), where it landed at approximately 3:30 a.m. on Friday.
The diversion allowed emergency responders to assess and treat injured passengers and crew members after the aircraft reached the ground.
Nine Passengers and Crew Members Receive Medical Treatment
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials reported that multiple people suffered injuries after the aircraft landed. At least one injured person required transportation to a trauma center for treatment.
Avianca later confirmed that nine people, including three crew members, were taken to a medical facility. The airline did not provide further details about the severity of each person’s injuries in the reported statement.
The number of passengers and crew members aboard the flight was not immediately available.
Uninjured passengers continued their journey to New York on Friday morning, according to Avianca. The airline did not specify the aircraft or flight number used to transport them in the available report.
Passengers Describe Emergency Response at Miami Airport
Passengers reported seeing several ambulances waiting near the aircraft after it landed at Miami International Airport.
Maria Paula Jimenez, a passenger aboard the flight, described the emergency response in an interview with CBS Miami.
“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,” Jimenez said.
She added that seven ambulances had their emergency lights on, which made the situation appear unusual.
Video footage seen by NBC6 appeared to show passengers with ice packs on their heads while cabin crew instructed them to remain seated. The footage provided a glimpse of the immediate aftermath of the turbulence encounter.
Avianca Reaffirms Its Safety Commitment
Avianca expressed its commitment to passenger and employee safety following the incident.
“The safety of our customers and employees is, and will remain, the foundation of our operations,” the airline said in a statement.
The available report did not identify the cause of the severe turbulence or indicate whether the aircraft sustained any damage. It also did not provide further information about the injured passengers’ conditions.
The incident highlights the potential for severe turbulence to cause injuries even when an aircraft remains under the crew’s control. Passengers can be thrown against cabin surfaces or struck by unsecured objects when an aircraft encounters sudden changes in airflow.
Keeping seat belts fastened whenever seated can help reduce the risk of injury during unexpected turbulence, including when the seat belt sign is not illuminated.
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