A Number of Hurt as Rough Air Hits Delta Plane Landing at Sydney

Multiple passengers and crew have been injured when a Delta jet from Los Angeles to Sydney encountered significant turbulence this past Friday.

Delta Flight 41 "encountered brief turbulence" as it made its approach and landed at Sydney Airport, an airline spokesperson stated. A number of the onboard staff required medical attention.

Emergency medical services reported they treated five individuals, and transported a trio to a medical facility with non-life-threatening injuries that comprised back pain and migraines. Those affected were between their 30s up to the 70s.

It is the latest incident of aircraft being hit by atmospheric disturbance, with experts pointing out that climate change is a major factor.

The aircraft was carrying 245 passengers and 15 crew members on the aircraft, the Delta spokesperson noted, adding that the plane arrived "safely and normally" at Sydney Airport at shortly before 7 a.m. on the day in question.

Paramedics said they got a call just three minutes ahead of the plane landed, and ambulances were standing by on the runway.

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

In the previous year, 25 people were hurt when a separate Delta aircraft, travelling from Salt Lake City, Utah to Amsterdam, encountered "considerable" turbulence just 120 minutes into the long-haul flight, and was forced to make an unscheduled landing.

Earlier this year, passengers and crew on a Singapore Airlines jet went through a harrowing short but intense bout of severe turbulence. An individual lost their life and dozens were injured, as those without seatbelts lifted out of their seats and crashed back down.

Bumpy air is a common occurrence during flights, and while cases of significant turbulence appear to be increasing, they are remained quite uncommon.

Data suggests that there are an estimated five thousand cases of severe-or-greater turbulence each year, out of a total of in excess of 35 million journeys that now take off around the world.

Intense turbulence is categorized as when the up and down movements of a jet experiencing disturbed air apply in excess of a significant G-force on your body - a strong enough force to throw you from your seat if you were not fastened by a safety belt.

As a changing climate modifies the conditions in the sky, experts warn that flying could become bumpier: temperature changes and changing jet streams in the upper atmosphere are likely to increase the occurrence and strength of severe turbulence.