7 Passengers Hospitalized After Plane Experienced 'Extreme Turbulence'
By Bill Galluccio
March 30, 2024
Seven passengers on a United Airlines flight were taken to the hospital for observation after the plane experienced "extreme turbulence" on Friday (March 29) night.
The United Airlines Flight 85 from Tel Aviv, Israel, to Newark International Airport in New Jersey was forced to make an emergency landing in New York Stewart International Airport due to a "passenger medical emergency."
"On arrival, our first EMS unit on the scene was encountered by a flight crew who stated they hit severe turbulence while landing at Newark and were diverted to New York International Airport, and they advised our crew that they had multiple people on the plane complaining of nausea, some chest pain, from the turbulence," New Windsor EMS Chief Michael Bigg said.
While there were no major injuries to any of the passengers, Bigg said that seven people requested to be taken to the hospital.
"We evaluated about 30 people, and we transported seven to the local hospital just for observation, no serious injuries or ailments," Bigg said. "Most people just wanted to get checked out at the local emergency room."
United Airlines said the remaining passengers continued to Newark after the plane was refueled.