United Airlines flight proceeds to a gate at Newark Liberty International Airport in January 2024.Photo:Gary Hershorn/Getty
Gary Hershorn/Getty
Seven people were taken to the hospital after aUnited Airlinesflight from Tel Aviv to Newark, New Jersey, experienced “severe turbulence” earlier this week.
On Friday, United Airlines Flight 85 landed at Stewart International Airport (SWF) in Orange County, New York, after “high winds” at Newark, a United spokesperson tells PEOPLE.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)noted on its websitethat the plane landed around 6:45 p.m. local time following reports of one passenger’s “medical emergency” on the Boeing 787.
United Airlines flight at Newark Liberty Airport.
In a statement to several outlets — includingCNN,NBC NewsandCBS News— New Windsor EMS Chief Michael Bigg said seven people were taken to the hospital after the plane’s flight crew told an EMS unit that the plane “hit severe turbulence.”
There were “no serious injuries or ailments,” he added.
“We evaluated about 30 people, and we transported 7 to the local hospital just for observation, no serious injuries or ailments,” he added in his statement. “Most people just wanted to get checked out at the local emergency room.”
The FAA will investigate the flight.
New Windsor EMS did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Saturday.
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TheAssociated Presspreviously reported that United Airlines vice president of corporate safety, Sasha Johnson, said the FAA was increasing oversight of the airline.
The news followed reports of a March 16 flight that landedsafely with a panel missing, and ahydraulics issueon a flight from San Francisco to Mexico on March 8. Last weekend, a flight from San Francisco to Denver had also struck a bird and returned to its point of origin.
“Over the next several weeks, we will begin to see more of an FAA presence in our operation as they begin to review some of our work processes, manuals and facilities,” Johnson wrote in a note to employees, per the AP. “We welcome their engagement and are very open to hear from them about what they find and their perspective on things we may need to change to make us even safer.”
“Unfortunately, in the past few weeks, our airline has experienced a number of incidents that are reminders of the importance of safety,” he wrote. “While they are all unrelated, I want you to know that these incidents have our attention and have sharpened our focus.”
source: people.com
