Passengers aboard Avianca Airlines flight 8586 were thrown into a state of panic after the aircraft was hit by a powerful tropical storm while en route from Medellín to Barranquilla on Monday, September 16. Dramatic footage captured the chaotic moments as the plane was violently shaken by gale-force winds, sparking widespread fear among those on board.

The aircraft was caught in the storm as it descended toward its destination in northern Colombia, where winds reached speeds of 45 mph. In the footage, passengers can be seen and heard panicking, fearing for their lives as the plane was battered by the turbulent weather.

Passenger describes “crazy” experience

Speaking with Jam Press, passenger Zuleima Ebratt recounted the terrifying ordeal, calling it the worst weather she had ever experienced on a flight. “It was specifically when we began to descend to land in Barranquilla,” Ebratt told local news outlet El Tiempo. “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.”

Prayers and panic as the plane shakes mid-air

In the footage, the aircraft is seen shaking uncontrollably, prompting passengers to scream and pray. One distressed flyer was heard chanting, “Virgin of Carmen, Hail Mary most pure, God save you…! My God, please help us,” as described by 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 said. Due to the intense turbulence, the pilot was unable to land in Barranquilla as originally planned and instead diverted the flight to the coastal city of Cartagena. Several hours later, after conditions improved, the flight was able to safely reach its intended destination.

Applause for the crew after the safe landing

After the plane finally touched down in Barranquilla, passengers erupted into applause, expressing their gratitude to the pilot and cabin crew for navigating them through the terrifying ordeal. The incident has drawn attention to the risks associated with flying through extreme weather conditions, though Avianca Airlines has yet to issue a formal statement on the storm-related turbulence.