At least eight travelers aboard an American Airlines flight were injured on Wednesday after the aircraft encountered a severe "unexpected" patch of turbulence, the airline has detailed.
American Airlines flight 3609 had departed from Tampa, Florida, and was en route to Tennessee's Nashville International Airport when passengers encountered turbulence during their travels. Reports have indicated the episode occurred as the plane neared the Florida Panhandle.
The plane was ultimately diverted to the Shuttlesworth International Airport in Birmingham, Alabama. Passengers touched down in the Heart of Dixie at about 3:17 p.m. local time. Upon arrival, several ambulances reported to the plane.
"There were, at the time, as many as 10 people who thought they might have some kind of injury," Kim Hunt, a spokesperson for the Birmingham Airport Authority, told the Tennessean news outlet. Of the 56 people aboard the flight, eight were transported to a local hospital.
Aside from being described as "minor" injuries, additional details on the condition of the passengers have not been released. According to CBS News, the injuries were among six travelers and two flight staff.
Authorities have since indicated the airline arranged for uninjured passengers to board another plane to continue their flight to Tennessee.