A Number of Hurt as Turbulence Hits A Delta Airlines Plane Arriving in Sydney

A number of individuals sustained injuries following a Delta flight originating in Los Angeles to Sydney encountered significant turbulence this past Friday.

The flight, numbered 41 "went through a short bout of rough air" as it touched down at the Sydney airport, a representative for the carrier told. Several cabin crew members were injured.

The New South Wales Ambulance Service stated they assessed a total of five people, and transported three to hospital with minor injuries that comprised pain in the back and headaches. The injured ranged from their thirties and seventies.

This marks the newest example of planes being hit by severe turbulence, with researchers indicating that global warming is a key driver.

There were 245 people and a crew of 15 on the Airbus A350, the Delta spokesperson added, clarifying that the plane touched down "safely and normally" at Sydney Airport at 6:48 a.m. local time on Friday.

The NSW Ambulance Service indicated they were alerted just three minutes prior to the plane arrived, and response teams were standing by on the runway.

The reasons turbulence is getting more frequent - and potentially more dangerous.

Last year, twenty-five passengers and crew were hurt when another Delta jet, flying from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, Netherlands, encountered "considerable" turbulence just a couple of hours into the lengthy trip, and was forced to make an precautionary landing.

Recently, travelers and staff on a Singapore Airlines jet experienced a frightening brief five-second period of extreme instability. One passenger passed away and many were hurt, as individuals not fastened in rose out of their seats and crashed back down.

Bumpy air is a common occurrence on aircraft journeys, and while cases of strong or severe turbulence are reportedly becoming more frequent, they are still very rare.

Research indicates that there are approximately 5,000 incidents of significant in-flight disturbance every year, out of a total of in excess of 35 million flights that currently occur around the world.

Severe turbulence is described as when the vertical motions of a jet passing through unstable air generate greater than 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 global warming shifts atmospheric conditions, researchers alert that commercial aviation could become less smooth: warming trends and shifting wind patterns in the jet stream level are expected to increase the occurrence and strength of significant turbulence.