An Avianca flight from Medellín, Colombia, to New York diverted to Miami International Airport early Friday after severe turbulence injured as many as nine people, and the Federal Aviation Administration said it will investigate.
Avianca Flight 42 was en route to John F. Kennedy International Airport when the turbulence struck, according to officials at Miami International Airport, CBS News reported. The flight landed safely around 3:30 a.m. local time.
The incident is a reminder for travelers on the busy Medellín–New York corridor that clear-air turbulence can occur without visual warning and is difficult for radar to detect. Because the flight was international, injured passengers may also have specific legal rights to compensation.
Injury counts differ between fire rescue and airline
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said eight people were injured, with one taken to a trauma center. Avianca officials, however, told CBS News Miami that nine people were hurt — three crew members and six passengers. The discrepancy has not been publicly reconciled.
Jackson Memorial Hospital confirmed Friday evening that seven people had been under its care and had since been discharged, CBS News Miami reported. The status of the eighth injured person is unknown.
Passenger Maria Paula Jimenez described the scene when the aircraft reached the gate. "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," she told CBS News Miami in Spanish.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units staged at the airport ahead of the landing, indicating the crew declared an emergency while still airborne.
What happens to the passengers now
Avianca said its airport team was assisting remaining passengers with arrangements to continue their journey to New York City. The airline has not said whether the same aircraft would be used or a replacement dispatched.
Medellín is Colombia's second-largest city and a major hub for Avianca, the country's flag carrier. Miami International Airport, a major gateway for Latin American traffic, served as the nearest suitable diversion point with full emergency services.
Montreal Convention passenger injury rights apply, attorney says
Because the flight crossed an international border, the injured passengers and crew fall under a specific legal framework, aviation attorney Pablo Rojas told CBS News Miami.
"This is an international flight; it was coming from Medellin to New York City, meaning it's governed by the Montreal convention," Rojas said.
The Montreal Convention of 1999, known as MC99, is an international treaty that sets rules for airlines handling international passenger injuries, deaths or damage. The treaty establishes the framework under which passengers injured on covered international flights can seek compensation from carriers.
How dangerous is severe turbulence?
Severe turbulence is one of the leading causes of in-flight injuries to passengers and crew who are not seated with seatbelts fastened. The National Transportation Safety Board has previously recommended improved turbulence detection and reporting systems across the aviation industry.
Clear-air turbulence is particularly hazardous because it can strike without visual warning and is difficult for radar to detect, which is why safety officials advise keeping seatbelts fastened whenever seated.
FAA turbulence investigation is underway
The Federal Aviation Administration told CBS News Miami it will investigate the encounter. Investigations of this type typically examine weather data along the flight path, the aircraft's maintenance records, crew actions and flight recorder data, and whether the seatbelt sign was illuminated at the time.
The Medellín–New York corridor is one of the busiest routes between South America and the United States, serving a large Colombian diaspora and business travelers. The FAA has not given a timeline for its findings, and the exact injury count remains unreconciled between the fire rescue tally of eight and the airline's count of nine.