Eight Taken to Hospitals After Avianca Flight Diverts to Miami

An Avianca flight bound for New York diverted to Miami early Friday after encountering turbulence, and eight people were taken to hospitals, according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. Their conditions were not immediately known. The flight was traveling from Medellín, Colombia, to John F. Kennedy International Airport. Flight-tracking data showed it landed at Miami International Airport at about 3:30 a.m. Friday, October 9, after roughly three hours in the air. The plane landed safely, according to reports citing flight-tracking data and airport officials. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said crews responded to multiple people injured by turbulence and transported eight by ambulance to hospitals. Officials did not immediately provide details about the injuries or identify the hospitals. The reports did not establish how serious the injuries were or provide later updates on the passengers’ conditions. Passengers described seeing ambulances waiting near the area where they disembarked. Video from inside the aircraft appeared to show passengers holding ice packs while crew members instructed them to remain seated with their seat belts fastened.