JETBLUE FLIGHT HITS SEVERE TURBULENCE: Eight people hospitalized

Eight people have been hospitalized after a JetBlue flight experienced severe turbulence as it landed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Monday. JetBlue flight 1256 was flying into Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport from Guayaquil, Ecuador when it suddenly experienced turbulence, the company said in a statement.

The plane still landed safely and was met by medical personnel on the ground. Seven customers and one inflight crewmember were transported to the hospital for evaluation and treatment.

“JetBlue will work to support our customers and crewmembers,” the statement reads. “The aircraft for this flight has been taken out of service for inspection.”

The company did not release the conditions of the passengers. Neither the airport nor Broward County Sheriff’s Office immediately responded to USA TODAY’s request for comment.

“If we were not flying a bunch of humans in this enclosed space with recirculated air miles above the earth, our preference would be that the seatbelt sign is on the entire time,” Association of Flight Attendants president Sara Nelson previously told USA TODAY.

Turbulence can be extremely difficult to predict. There are three types of turbulence: Mountain wave, which occurs when wind gets redirected after it hits a mountain; convective, which is associated with storms; and clear air, which is the most common, the hardest to predict, and the type that is worsening due to climate change.