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- A JetBlue flight from Cancún to Newark was diverted to Florida after it experienced a sudden altitude drop.
- The Airbus A320 landed at Tampa International Airport, where it was met by medical personnel.
- There have been several instances of flights abruptly plunging in altitude over the past few years.
A JetBlue flight traveling from Mexico to New Jersey on Thursday was diverted to Florida after it experienced a sudden drop in altitude.
JetBlue Flight 1230 was headed to Newark Liberty International Airport from Cancún International Airport when it suddenly experienced a “flight control issue,” the airline told Fox News Digital.
Per altitude statistics from flight tracking software FlightRadar24, the Airbus A320 dropped about 14,500 feet in five minutes, roughly an hour into the flight.
It then dropped another 12,200 feet in the next five minutes and was diverted to Tampa International Airport less than 90 minutes after takeoff.
The aircraft landed at about 2:20 p.m. at Tampa, where it was met by medical personnel, a spokesperson for the airport told Business Insider.
Around 15 to 20 people were transported to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, Tampa Bay Fire Rescue spokesperson Vivian Shedd told CNN.
Representatives for JetBlue, the FAA, and the Tampa Bay Fire Rescue did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider outside regular hours.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the airline said in a statement to the Associated Press, CNN, and Fox News Digital that it was investigating the incident.
There have been multiple instances of flights abruptly dropping in altitude over the past few years.
In May 2024, a Singapore Airlines flight dropped 178 feet in just four seconds, causing passengers to fly out of their seats, leading to one death and dozens of others in the hospital.
A Korean Air flight in June 2024 dropped 25,000 feet in five minutes shortly after takeoff, and 17 passengers had to receive medical care after it made an emergency landing.