A Number of Hurt as Turbulence Hits A Delta Airlines Aircraft Landing at Sydney

Multiple passengers and crew sustained injuries after a Delta Airlines flight originating in Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia encountered significant turbulence this past Friday.

The flight, numbered 41 "encountered brief turbulence" as it landed at Sydney Airport, a representative for the carrier told. Several cabin crew members required medical attention.

The New South Wales Ambulance Service stated they assessed five patients, and took three of them to the hospital with minor injuries that comprised spinal discomfort and migraines. The injured were between their 30s up to the 70s.

The event represents the most recent case of commercial jets encountering turbulence, with aviation specialists indicating that climate change is a significant contributor.

There were nearly 250 travelers and 15 crew members on the aircraft, the Delta spokesperson noted, stating that the plane landed "safely and normally" at Sydney Airport at 6:48 a.m. local time on Friday morning.

The NSW Ambulance Service reported they got a call just only 180 seconds prior to the plane landed, and emergency vehicles were standing by on the runway.

Why plane turbulence is becoming increasingly prevalent - and potentially more dangerous.

Last year, twenty-five passengers and crew were injured when another Delta jet, flying from Salt Lake City, Utah to Amsterdam, hit "considerable" atmospheric disturbance just 120 minutes into the transoceanic journey, and was forced to make an precautionary landing.

Earlier this year, those on board on a Singapore Airlines flight experienced a terrifying five seconds of severe turbulence. One passenger lost their life and numerous people sustained injuries, as unbelted passengers rose out of their seats and were slammed back.

Bumpy air is a common occurrence while flying, and while instances of rough conditions are reportedly becoming more frequent, they are statistically infrequent.

Research indicates that there are an estimated 5,000 incidents of significant in-flight disturbance annually, out of a sum of in excess of 35 million aircraft departures that now take off worldwide.

Strong atmospheric disturbance is defined as when the sudden jolts of a jet going through disturbed air exert greater than 1.5 times the force of gravity on your body - sufficient force to throw you from your seat if you weren't wearing a seatbelt.

As a changing climate shifts atmospheric conditions, researchers alert that commercial aviation could become more turbulent: temperature changes and altered air currents in the upper atmosphere are expected to boost the frequency and intensity of severe turbulence.