トりン, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, Cropped by Resist the Mainstream

A United Airlines Boeing 787 flight encountered severe turbulence, necessitating an emergency landing on Friday evening, reportedly resulting in injuries to 22 passengers.

Flight 85 was flying from Tel Aviv to Newark, New Jersey, but had to be diverted to New York Stewart International Airport in Orange County, New York, around 6:45 p.m. due to the turbulence caused by high winds.

At the time of the flight's landing, New Windsor paramedics were on standby at the tarmac, as revealed by images shared on the emergency medical services' (EMS) Instagram, showing multiple emergency vehicles surrounding the aircraft.

“Evaluated and treated multiple patients for minor ailments,” the New Windsor EMS officials stated via an Instagram post, acknowledging the response of 25 emergency medical technicians (EMT) and paramedics to the situation. Reports varied, with New Windsor officials reporting that six out of the 319 passengers on board were taken to local hospitals, while other sources claimed seven were hospitalized and 15 received treatment on site. Symptoms reported by passengers included nausea and chest pains, as reported by News 12 Westchester.

Despite the turbulence, there were no reports of serious injuries.

“United Airlines Flight 85 landed safely at New York Stewart International Airport around 6:45 p.m. local time Friday, March 29, after the crew reported a passenger medical emergency. The Boeing 787 departed from Tel Aviv and was en route to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. The FAA will investigate. Please contact the airline for additional information,” the FAA said in a statement.

This incident adds to the scrutiny Boeing faces over several months concerning the safety of its aircraft. An investigation was initiated following the temporary worldwide grounding of its Boeing 737 Max-9 aircraft by the FAA. This action was taken after an Alaska Airlines flight lost a large section of a window shortly after takeoff in January.