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.
