5 taken to North Carolina hospital after American Airlines flight hits turbulence

Five people were taken to a hospital Sunday night from Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina, where their American Airlines flight from Miami had landed safely after experiencing turbulence, officials said.

American Airlines said in a statement that the plane's seatbelt sign was turned on when it encountered the rough patch, which the airline called "unexpected."

"American Airlines flight 1286 with service from Miami (MIA) to Raleigh-Durham (RDU) landed safely at RDU after encountering unexpected turbulence while in flight. We thank our crew members for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding," the statement said.