Nine Hurt, Including Three Crew, as Avianca New York Flight Diverts to Miami After Severe Turbulence

October 10, 2026 — Nine people were hurt, three of them cabin crew, when Avianca flight 42 from Medellín to New York JFK hit severe turbulence and diverted to Miami early on Friday, October 9. The FAA is investigating.

What happened

The Airbus A320 left Medellín on Thursday night, October 8, bound for John F. Kennedy International Airport. The crew reported severe turbulence and landed at Miami International Airport at about 3:25 a.m. on Friday, according to the FAA.

Item	Detail
Flight	Avianca AV42, Medellín (MDE) to New York (JFK)
Aircraft	Airbus A320
Diversion	Miami (MIA), landed about 3:25 a.m. Friday, October 9
Injured, per Avianca	Nine: six passengers and three crew members
Taken to hospital, per Miami-Dade Fire Rescue	Eight, one of them to a trauma center
Investigation	FAA; findings TBA

Jackson Memorial Hospital told CBS News Miami that seven patients in its care had been discharged. The condition of the eighth was not given.

Avianca said it diverted “as a precaution” under its safety protocols and that staff and airport medical teams met the aircraft. The remaining passengers continued to New York later on Friday morning. The reports do not say where along the route the turbulence struck or how many people were on board.

What it means for non-revs

Keep your seatbelt fastened whenever you are seated. A third of the injured were working crew, a reminder that turbulence injuries fall hardest on people who are up in the cabin.
Jumpseaters and commuting crew: follow the operating crew’s instructions and stay strapped in when service is suspended.
No lasting schedule effect is reported. This was one flight. Avianca has not announced any change to Medellín–New York service, so loads on the route are not expected to shift.
Why it still matters: the FAA’s findings may bear on crew injury reporting and seatbelt procedures.