FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Passengers experienced "severe turbulence" during an international JetBlue flight heading to Florida early Monday. The turbulence was so "severe" that eight people, including a crewmember, were hospitalized as a result, according to the airline.
JetBlue flight 1256 took off just before midnight local time from Guayaquil, Ecuador, and headed toward the Fort Lauderdale International Airport. It landed just before 5:30 a.m. with an on-time arrival, according to FlightAware.
As the flight neared Florida, the aircraft experienced "sudden severe turbulence."
While the flight landed "safely," medical staff met the plane and transported seven passengers and one inflight crewmember to the hospital for treatment and evaluation, JetBlue said in a statement.
The airline did not provide details about the severity of the injuries sustained due to the turbulence.
The aircraft is out of service and will be inspected, according to the airline.
According to the flight-tracking website FlightAware, the flight deba
Below is the full statement from JetBlue:
"On Monday, September 25, JetBlue flight 1256 with scheduled service from Guayaquil, Ecuador to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, experienced sudden severe turbulence as it neared Florida. The flight landed safely at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) where it was met by medical personnel who transported 7 customers and 1 inflight crewmember to the hospital for evaluation and treatment. JetBlue will work to support our customers and crewmembers. The aircraft for this flight has been taken out of service for inspection."