Continental flight 128 to Houston Makes Emergency Landing in Miami

Severe turbulence forced a Continental Airlines flight to land at Miami International Airport (KMIA)

Monday morning after at least 26 people were hurt, said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue spokesman Elkin Sierra.

Continental flight 128 was heading from Rio de Janeiro (SBGL) to Houston (KIAH) with 168 people on board, said MIA spokesman Marc Henderson. According to the Federal Aviation Association, the plane reported turbulence around 4:30 a.m. and landed safely in Miami KMIA at 5:30 a.m.



Of the 26 injured, 14 were taken to area hospitals. Twenty-two are said to be in stable condition and four are in serious condition.

From Sky 10, rescue crews could be seen using catering trucks to move the passengers off the plane and onto the tarmac where several ambulances waited to transport the injured to the hospital. The catering trucks were used as elevators to prevent further injury to passengers once they were stabilized, Sierra said.
Eight people were taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital and three to Mercy Hospital with non-lifethreatening conditions. It is not yet known where the others were taken.
A passenger on the flight told Local 10 the remaining passengers were taken off the plane.