A Friday flight from Tel Aviv to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey was forced to divert to Stewart International Airport in New Windsor, New York, due to high winds and turbulence, several media reports stated Saturday.
Steward International Airport is 60 miles north of New York City.
Seven passengers hospitalized
Some of the 200 passengers were taken to hospital upon arrival in New York, according to Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus, cited by Associated Press. The remaining passengers were left to rest at the airport.
Seven passengers were taken to Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall with minor injuries, some of which reported possible motion sickness, according to New Windsor EMS.
“We had 320 people on the plane,” said Michael Bigg of New Windsor EMS, according to ABCNY7. We evaluated about 30 people and transported seven to a local hospital just for observation. There were no major injuries or ailments, but most people wanted to get checked out at the emergency room.”
What caused the diversion?
The 11-hour flight had been disrupted when they were only 750 feet from the ground due to experiencing “wind shear,” ABCNY7 reported. Wind shear is when the wind suddenly changes direction.
“Oh, it was like Six Flags,” passenger Roi Gonen told the source. “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 said while describing the panic passengers expressed.
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