Turbulence injures nine on Avianca flight that was forced to divert to MIA

Title: Nine injured during severe turbulence that forced New York City-bound flight to divert to MIA, officials say

URL Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/severe-turbulence-miami-international-airport-flight-october-9-2026/

Published Time: 2026-10-09T06:20:00-0400

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Updated on: October 9, 2026 / 9:07 AM EDT / CBS Miami

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Nine people were rushed to a [Miami](https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/tag/miami/) hospital early Friday morning after a flight to [New York City](https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/tag/new-york-city/) was forced to divert to [Miami International Airport](https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/tag/miami-international-airport/) due to severe turbulence, according to officials.

According to officials at Miami International Airport, Avianca Flight 42 was headed from Medellín, [Colombia](https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/tag/colombia/), to New York City's [John F. Kennedy International Airport](https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/tag/john-f-kennedy-international-airport/) when the [severe turbulence](https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/tag/flight-turbulence/) was reported.

[Miami-Dade Fire Rescue](https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/tag/miami-dade-fire-rescue/)said the flight landed safely at MIA around 3:30 a.m.

Airline officials told CBS News Miami that, in total, three crew members and six passengers "suffered injuries or health issues" that were related to the severe turbulence.

One passenger who was at Miami International Airport when the Avianca flight was arriving said she saw several ambulances waiting to help treat those who were 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. Seven of them with their lights on as if they were waiting for something," passenger Maria Paula Jimenez told CBS News Miami in Spanish. "When we arrived, well, you know, it wasn't normal."

Avianca officials said that the remaining passengers were being assisted by the airline's airport team to make necessary arrangements to continue their journey to New York City.

The [Federal Aviation Administration](https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/tag/federal-aviation-administration/) told CBS News Miami that the agency would be investigating the incident.

The extent of the injuries is unknown.

In:

• [Travel](https://www.cbsnews.com/tag/travel/)

• [Federal Aviation Administration](https://www.cbsnews.com/tag/federal-aviation-administration/)

• [South Florida](https://www.cbsnews.com/tag/south-florida/)

• [Colombia](https://www.cbsnews.com/tag/colombia/)

• [John F. Kennedy International Airport](https://www.cbsnews.com/tag/john-f-kennedy-international-airport/)

• [Miami](https://www.cbsnews.com/tag/miami/)

• [New York City](https://www.cbsnews.com/tag/New-York-City/)

• [Miami International Airport](https://www.cbsnews.com/tag/miami-international-airport/)

• [Flight Turbulence](https://www.cbsnews.com/tag/flight-turbulence/)

[Avianca flight diverted to MIA after multiple passengers injured by turbulence, officials say 00:51](https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/video/avianca-flight-diverted-to-mia-after-multiple-passengers-injured-by-turbulence-officials-say/)

Avianca flight diverted to MIA after multiple passengers injured by turbulence, officials say

(00:51)

https://prod.vodvideo.cbsnews.com/cbsnews/vr/hls/4881603_hls/master.m3u8