Severe turbulence, sick passengers prompt Newark-bound plane to make emergency landing

NEWARK, N.J. (WABC) -- A Delta Air Lines international flight diverted to Boston because of bad weather in the New York area Wednesday, and two passengers had to be hospitalized after the plane encountered severe turbulence approaching Logan International Airport.

Delta said Wednesday afternoon that "a small number of customers" on Flight 271 Paris complained of nausea and possible minor injuries and were checked out by emergency medical technicians.

A Boston EMS spokeswoman said two people were taken to Massachusetts General Hospital with what are believed to be minor injuries.

"You could feel it like King Kong picked up the plane and shook it like there was no tomorrow," passenger Stuart Page said.

It was a flight the passengers will never forget.

"All I could tell you is I was holding onto my Bible," another passenger said. "Well, thank God we're alive."

Those on board say the Boeing 767 was tossed about like a child's toy all along the eastern seaboard.

"You could feel the turbulence," Jessica Garcia said. "It was going up and down, yeah, you could feel it all."

According to FlightAware.com, the plane flew into a line of storms over the water, circled over Long Island, and while still in the thick of it, tried to land at JFK but couldn't. It then headed for safe harbor in Boston.

"Just felt a little queasy and I travel a lot, and I never feel that way," a passenger said. "It was bumpy, and there were quite a few people who did get ill."

Some, a little more so than others.

"I was too sick to get nervous," Garcia said.

The airline said Flight 271 from Paris left Boston just after 6 p.m. to resume its journey to Newark, New Jersey. The plane is a Boeing 767-300ER. Delta said 180 passengers and 11 crew members were aboard.