United flight from Tel Aviv to Newark diverted to NY airport due to high winds; injuries reported

Friday, March 29, 2024
ORANGE COUNTY, New York -- Several injuries were reported after a United Airlines flight headed to Newark International Airport in New Jersey was diverted to an airport in New York on Friday, due to high winds.

Over 300 passengers and crew members were aboard United Airlines Flight 85 from Tel Aviv to Newark when it was diverted to Stewart International Airport in Orange County, New York, around 6:45 p.m. due to "high winds and turbulence," according to officials.

Eyewitness News was told the plane was cleared to land at Newark International Airport after its 11-hour flight from Israel, but pilots called a "go-around" when they were about 750 feet off the ground.

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They told air traffic controllers they had experienced "wind shear," which is a sudden change in change in wind direction.



Ultimately, the plane landed safely at Stewart International Airport, in New Windsor, New York.
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United Airlines says one passenger deplaned due to a medical incident, and a few others were seen by medical personnel.

Seven passengers were taken to a hospital with minor injuries, some which reported possible motion sickness, according to New Windsor EMS.

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The flight refueled and landed in Newark Friday night, according to United Airlines.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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