SAO PAULO, July 1 (Reuters) - An Air Europa flight from

Madrid to Montevideo was diverted to a Brazilian airport on

Monday after hitting severe turbulence, the carrier said, adding

that injured passengers were being treated.

Flight UX045 made an emergency landing at the Natal Airport

in northeastern Brazil at 2:32 a.m. local time (0532 GMT),

according to local airport operator Zurich Airport Brasil.

A Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft was flying the

route, FlightRadar24 data showed.

"Our flight bound for Montevideo was diverted to Natal due

to strong turbulence," Air Europa said in a statement on social

media. "The plane landed normally and those injured of varying

severity are already being treated."

Zurich Airport said in a separate statement that the

passengers who needed medical assistance were taken by ambulance

to Natal hospitals.

The government of Rio Grande do Norte state, where Natal is

located, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

According to Air Europa, a second plane was set to depart

from Madrid later on Monday to pick up the passengers and

continue the trip to Uruguay.