Continental Airlines plane hits turbulence, makes emergency landing

(NECN/ABC) – A Continental Airlines plane on its way from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Houston hit severe turbulence during the flight and was diverted to Miami this morning with injured passengers. Severe turbulence left dozens injured this morning on a Continental Airlines flight from Rio de Janeiro to Houston. Flight 128 was diverted to Miami and landed around 5:35 a.m. eastern time after the plane encountered severe turbulence. Twenty-eight passengers were treated at the scene for bumps and bruises. Seven were taken to hospitals – four of them seriously injured. The airline says there were 179 passengers and crew on board the Boeing 767 when the craft started shaking about 50 miles north of the Dominican Republic, an hour before landing. Continental doesn’t regularly fly international to Miami, but the decision was made to land there. With the plane on the ground, Continental says its priority now is to help the passengers and their families. A federal investigation of the incident is expected. ABC’s John Hendren reports.