At least 15 people were injured on Thursday, October 30, after a JetBlue passenger plane suddenly dropped in altitude mid-flight, prompting an emergency landing in Tampa, Florida.
The Airbus A320 had departed Cancún Airport in Mexico bound for Newark, New Jersey. After reaching a cruising altitude of 35,000 feet and a speed exceeding 620 mph, the aircraft unexpectedly began descending roughly an hour into the journey.
According to audio shared on Live ATC, the pilot urgently requested medical assistance while communicating with air traffic control. “JetBlue 1230 descending to 10 thousand, we’re leveling 297,” he said. “We need medical equipment… because of a flight control issue, it caused the medical issue.”
The pilot reported that several passengers were hurt during the sudden drop, noting, “Seems like maybe a laceration in the head,” referring to one of the injured individuals.
Upon landing safely in Tampa, emergency crews boarded the aircraft, and at least 15 passengers were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
JetBlue confirmed the incident and stated that the aircraft had been removed from service for inspection. “The safety of our customers and crewmembers is always our first priority, and we will work to support those involved,” a spokesperson said.
A replacement aircraft was deployed from Tampa to complete the flight to New York’s LaGuardia Airport later that evening.
Federal aviation authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the unexpected altitude loss.
The event comes amid a string of recent aviation incidents in the U.S. Earlier this month, two Delta airplanes collided at LaGuardia Airport, damaging a wing on one aircraft and the nose of the other. In a separate incident, a SkyWest Airlines pilot performed an emergency maneuver to avoid a B-52 bomber near Minneapolis–Saint Paul Airport.
While the cause of JetBlue’s steep descent is still unknown, the incident has reignited concerns over flight safety and pilot protocols during high-altitude emergencies.
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