STEWART – A United Airlines wide body jet with 280 people onboard traveling to Newark Liberty International Airport was diverted to New York Stewart International Airport when it experienced severe wind turbulence around 6:30 p.m. on Friday. The plane was inbound from Tel Aviv, according to a spokesman from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
The plane landed safely at Stewart at around 6:45 p.m. after the crew reported a passenger medical emergency, according to the FAA.
Michael Bigg, chief of operations for New Windsor EMS said the Boeing 787 jet landed safely at Stewart. Ten ambulances from the area were dispatched to the airport to assist with evaluating the passengers.
Six passengers complained of nausea and chest pain from the turbulence. Five were taken to the hospital for observation and one refused treatment, said a Port Authority spokesman.
He said the plane and most passengers later departed from Stewart for Newark Liberty International Airport. A passenger bus was offered as an alternative means of travel to Newark and several passengers were said to have boarded the bus.
The FAA will investigate the incident.
