Saturday, November 1, 2025 - At least 15 people were injured after a JetBlue passenger plane suddenly dropped in altitude mid-flight, forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing in Tampa, Florida, on Thursday, October 30.
The Airbus A320, which had taken off from Cancún Airport in
Mexico en route to Newark, New Jersey, reached a cruising altitude of 35,000
feet and a speed of over 620 mph before abruptly descending about an hour into
the flight.
In an audio recording shared on Live ATC, the pilot was
heard urgently requesting medical assistance from air traffic control. “JetBlue
1230 descending to 10 thousand, we’re leveling 297,” the pilot said. “We need
medical equipment… because of flight control issue, it caused the medical
issue.”
The pilot reported that at least three people had been
injured during the sudden drop. “Seems like maybe a laceration in the head,”
the pilot added.
When the plane landed safely in Tampa, emergency responders
rushed aboard, and at least 15 passengers were transported to nearby hospitals
for treatment.
JetBlue confirmed the incident, saying the aircraft was
taken out of service for inspection. “The safety of our customers and
crewmembers is always our first priority, and we will work to support those
involved,” a JetBlue spokesperson said in a statement.
A replacement plane was later dispatched from Tampa to New
York’s LaGuardia Airport, completing the journey later that evening.
Federal aviation authorities have launched an investigation
into the cause of the sudden altitude drop.
The incident adds to a series of recent aviation scares in
the United States. Earlier this month, two Delta planes collided at LaGuardia
Airport, one losing a wing and the other suffering nose damage. In another
case, a SkyWest Airlines pilot had to perform an emergency mid-air maneuver to
avoid a B-52 bomber near Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport.
While the cause of JetBlue’s sudden descent remains unclear,
the incident has renewed discussions about flight safety and pilot response
protocols during high-altitude emergencies.
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