JetBlue plane diverts to Tampa, injuries reported after flight issue

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By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A JetBlue Airways flight on Thursday en route from Cancun, Mexico, to New Jersey diverted to Tampa after suffering a flight control issue and a sudden drop in altitude that resulted in some injuries, the Federal Aviation Administration and airline said.

JetBlue Flight 1230 on an Airbus A320 departed Cancun International Airport in Mexico and was headed to New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport when it made an emergency landing around 2:19 p.m. ET (1819 GMT) at Tampa, Florida. The FAA is investigating the incident.

JetBlue said the aircraft experienced a drop in altitude and the “flight was met by medical personnel who evaluated customers and crewmembers, and those needing additional care were transported to a local hospital.”

Local media outlets quoted Tampa Fire Rescue as saying about 15 to 20 people were taken to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. JetBlue did not say how many people were injured.

The plane was removed from service for inspection, and the airline said it would conduct a full investigation to determine the cause. “The safety of our customers and crewmembers is always our first priority, and we will work to support those involved,” JetBlue said.

There have been a number of serious aviation incidents this year due to turbulence or sudden drops in altitude. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a Delta Air Lines flight in July from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Amsterdam which experienced severe turbulence that injured 25 people and was diverted to Minneapolis.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Diane Craft, Leslie Adler and Jamie Freed)