Avianca Flight Diverts to Miami After Severe Turbulence Injures 9

An Avianca flight traveling from Medellín, Colombia, to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport encountered severe turbulence and diverted to Miami International Airport early Friday, October 9, 2026, landing shortly after 3:30 a.m. The Airbus A320, operating as flight AV42, made an emergency landing after the incident occurred while cruising at approximately 35,000 feet over Jamaica and Cuba. According to preliminary reports, the aircraft descended roughly 25,000 feet within minutes due to the turbulence.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to the scene and transported eight people to area hospitals, with one individual taken to a trauma center due to severe injuries. Avianca confirmed that nine people in total—three crew members and six passengers—were affected by the turbulence and required medical attention. One additional person was treated at the airport without hospitalization. Eyewitness accounts described the turbulence as intense, with one passenger stating they "thought it was the last day." Video recorded aboard the aircraft showed passengers with ice compresses on their heads being instructed to keep their seatbelts fastened, and some passengers described experiencing at least three distinct periods of severe turbulence.

Avianca stated that the turbulence was "unexpected" and that the diversion followed standard safety protocols. The airline activated emergency medical protocols at Miami International Airport and arranged for uninjured passengers to continue to New York later Friday morning. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident. The FAA recommends that passengers remain buckled to protect against unexpected turbulence.

Serious injuries from in-flight turbulence remain relatively rare, though the International Air Transport Association reported that turbulence incident reports surged more than 25 percent in the previous year. Some scientists have suggested that climate change altering the jet stream may contribute to increased turbulence. The incident follows a July 2025 Delta Air Lines flight over Wyoming in which 24 people were hospitalized after severe thunderstorm-related turbulence; at least 20 passengers subsequently filed lawsuits against Delta.