JetBlue flight: At least 15 people sent to hospital after plane drops altitude, forcing emergency landing in Florida, officials say

A federal investigation into “a flight control issue” is underway after at least 15 people were taken to a hospital following a sudden drop in altitude on a JetBlue flight that forced an emergency landing in Tampa, officials said.

Flight 1230 was heading Thursday from Cancun, Mexico, to Newark, New Jersey, when it “experienced a drop in altitude,” JetBlue said in a statement, causing pilots to call for medical help. The plane diverted to Tampa International Airport around 2 p.m. ET, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The plane dropped about 100 feet in about 7 seconds around 1:48 p.m. before making a more normal descent into Tampa, data from flightradar24 shows. Medical personnel met it on the ground, an airport spokesperson said.

The FAA is investigating a “flight control issue” on the Airbus A320, it said, echoing a pilot’s message to air traffic controllers around the time of the brief descent.

The flight disruption comes in a volatile year for air travel, with a major mid-air collision, runway incursions and serious turbulence already in play before the monthlong government shutdown raised staffing issues for air traffic controllers as the holiday travel season looms.

Just before Thursday’s emergency, a strong cold front passed through Florida, leaving gusty winds and light rain showers. It was not immediately clear if weather was a factor in the flight’s altitude drop.

While it’s unclear why the plane dropped in altitude, pilots told air traffic control the plane had experienced “a flight control issue,” audio from LiveATC.net indicates.

As air traffic controllers guided the JetBlue flight into Tampa, pilots reported injuries, including “maybe a laceration in the head,” the audio indicates. No further details about injuries were available.

Some 15 to 20 people aboard the plane were evaluated and taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Tampa Bay Fire Rescue spokesperson Vivian Shedd said.

“Our team has taken the aircraft out of service for inspection, and we will conduct a full investigation to determine the cause,” JetBlue said in its statement. “The safety of our customers and crewmembers is always our first priority, and we will work to support those involved.”

CNN’s Martin Goillandeau contributed to this reporting.