Turbulence struck as panic-stricken passengers screamed in terror while a tropical storm relentlessly battered their plane mid-flight. The harrowing ordeal was captured on video.
A widely circulated video on social media captures travelers aboard a flight from Medellin to Barranquilla, Colombia, clinging to their seats and murmuring prayers during their journey on September 16.
A flight attendant is heard reassuring passengers via the intercom as the aircraft shakes from powerful winds. These tense moments were captured during Avianca Airlines flight 8586.
✈️📹10 bin metrede şiddetli türbülans paniği
— Gökhan Artan (@gokhanartancom) September 17, 2024
Kolombiya’da şiddetli türbülansa yakalanan Avianca uçağında yolcuların paniği görüntülendi
📹Video Credit: @zuleSCOUT1 #aviation #airlines #avianca #avgeek pic.twitter.com/NZM9FOj3xz
According to The Daily Mail, a strong gale that impacted several northern regions of the country forced the flight to face turbulence. Unable to land safely, the pilot opted to divert the aircraft to the nearby coastal resort of Cartagena.
Ultimately, the flight was able to reach Barranquilla, albeit several hours later than originally planned.
A Passenger Shares First-Hand Account of Turbulence From Tropical Storm Rocking Flight
“I have never experienced such bad weather on a flight. How crazy,” passenger Zule Ebratt recalled per The Daily Mail.
“It was specifically when we began to descend to land in Barranquilla,” Ebratt added to local outlet El Tiempo per WION.
“Up to that point, the captain told us ‘We are going to land in Barranquilla’ and everything was normal. Suddenly, we entered a fog, we could no longer see anything and the turbulence began,” she pointed out.
“Virgin of Carmen, Hail Mary most pure, God save you…! My God, please help us,” one panicked passenger could be heard chanting in the footage, per El Tiempo.
“Of course, we were stressed, desperate, everyone was crying, screaming, others were praying, because we really saw that we were not going to survive,” Ebratt added.
Meanwhile, the panic was triggered by a tropical storm that unleashed winds reaching up to 45 mph, as reported by meteorologist Alexander Martinez per The Daily Mail.
The storm impacted several regions in the departments of Atlántico, Magdalena, and Bolívar, leaving a path of destruction behind. The fierce winds uprooted trees, damaged roofs, and caused power outages across multiple municipalities.
Local authorities and relief agencies are actively assessing the damage and working to restore essential services. Emergency crews are clearing roads obstructed by fallen trees and restoring electricity to affected homes.