An Air Europa flight traveling from Madrid to Montevideo, Uruguay, was redirected to a Brazilian airport due to severe turbulence, resulting in minor injuries to 30 passengers, according to local health authorities.
The flight, identified as Flight UX045, made an emergency landing at Natal Airport in northeastern Brazil at 2:32 a.m. local time, as reported by local airport operator Zurich Airport Brasil. FlightRadar24 data indicated that a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner was operating the route.
Air Europa confirmed the incident on social media, stating, “Our flight to Montevideo had to be redirected to Natal due to intense turbulence.” The airline assured that the landing in Natal was uneventful and that the injured passengers were receiving medical care.
The health department of Rio Grande do Norte state, where Natal is situated, disclosed that the 30 affected passengers were transported to local hospitals with minor injuries such as cuts and orthopedic issues.
Air Europa announced plans to dispatch a replacement aircraft from Madrid later in the day to retrieve the passengers and resume the journey to Uruguay.
