CARTAGENA, Colombia – Passengers on board an international flight over Colombia endured a harrowing ordeal when a severe thunderstorm hit the region, causing violent turbulence that forced the plane to make an emergency landing.

The chaotic scenes aboard an Avianca flight were captured on video by passenger Zuleima Ebratt as the plane was rocked by strong winds and a sudden drop in altitude somewhere after takeoff from Medellín.

“It was a moment of great panic and we thought the plane was going to crash,” said Ebratt, describing her worst fear.

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Other frightened passengers were heard screaming “Dios mío,” or “My God,” in Spanish as the plane rocked violently. Crew urged passengers to remain seated and fasten their seatbelts while they called for medical help.

“Due to bad weather around Barranquilla airport, turbulence occurred, so the captain made the decision to divert to Cartagena airport,” the airline told local news channel El Colombiano.

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Passengers on an Avianca flight between Medellin and Barranquilla, Colombia, experienced moments of terror when a severe thunderstorm hit the region, causing violent turbulence that forced the plane to divert to Cartagena.

(Zuleima Ebratt via Storyful)

The plane landed safely at Rafael Nunez International Airport at 6:39 p.m., where passengers reportedly received immediate medical attention. The flight then continued its journey to Barranquilla, where it arrived a few hours later.

The storm, which caused significant damage throughout the region, left at least 152 houses without roofs and disrupted air traffic over the city, according to the Colombian government. Fallen trees also damaged schools, kindergartens and sports centers, causing traffic disruptions.