Turbulence forces diversion of Tel Aviv flight to New Jersey; 7 taken to hospital
Official: ‘No major injuries, but most people want to get checked out at the emergency room’; flight rerouted after ‘Six Flags’-like turbulence nauseates passengers; FAA to probe
High winds and turbulence forced United Airlines flight 85 from Tel Aviv to be diverted Friday from its destination of Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey to Stewart International Airport in New Windsor, New York, some 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of New York City.
Michael Bigg, chief of New Windsor’s Emergency Medical Service, told American news site The Daily Beast that passengers complained of nausea, motion sickness, and chest pain from the turbulence
“We had 320 people on the plane,” ABC7 quoted Bigg as saying. “We evaluated about 30 people and we transported seven to a local hospital just for observation.”
“No major injuries or ailments but most people want to get checked out at the emergency room,” Bigg added.
The Federal Aviation Administration announced that it will investigate the incident.
Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus said in an evening statement that none of the passengers had serious injuries.
UPDATE: 312 passengers onboard Newark-bound United Airlines Boeing 787 from Tel Aviv that diverted to Stewart Airport due to “extreme turbulence,” 7 passengers taken to the hospital with minor injuries and 15 treated on site – according to New Windsor EMS. (???? New Windsor EMS) pic.twitter.com/nnmOMOT6Af
— Blaise Gomez (@BlaiseGomez12) March 29, 2024
“I want to thank all the first responders for their quick, efficient, and professional action,” said Neuhaus. “Their collaborative efforts on this Good Friday evening helped alleviate the stress and difficulty of a challenging situation.”
“Oh, it was really like Six Flags,” passenger Roi Gonen told ABC7. “My heart just jumped a couple of times. I was texting my wife just in case.”
“Two seats behind me I saw a woman vomiting,” he added.
