Several Hurt as Rough Air Hits A Delta Airlines Plane Landing at Sydney

A number of individuals sustained injuries when a Delta aircraft traveling from Los Angeles to Sydney experienced significant turbulence Friday morning.

Flight DL41 "experienced a brief period of turbulence" as it touched down at the Sydney airport, a representative for the carrier stated. Several cabin crew members sustained injuries.

The New South Wales Ambulance Service stated they evaluated five individuals, and transported three to the hospital with minor injuries that such as pain in the back and head pain. The injured ranged from their 30s to 70s.

This marks the latest incident of commercial jets being hit by atmospheric disturbance, with researchers saying that climate change is a key driver.

The aircraft was carrying 245 passengers and 15 crew members on the aircraft, the official noted, adding that the plane touched down "safely" at Sydney Airport at shortly before 7 a.m. on Friday.

The NSW Ambulance Service said they received a call just only 180 seconds prior to the plane landed, and ambulances were ready and waiting at the airport.

Why in-flight bumpiness is becoming more common - and potentially more dangerous.

During the past year, 25 people were hurt when another Delta jet, flying from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, experienced "significant" turbulence just a couple of hours into the lengthy trip, and was forced to make an precautionary landing.

Recently, passengers and crew on a Singapore Airlines jet went through a frightening short but intense bout of severe turbulence. A traveler died and numerous people sustained injuries, as individuals not fastened in were thrown from their seats and crashed back down.

In-flight turbulence is a common occurrence during flights, and while occurrences of rough conditions appear to be increasing, they are still very rare.

Research indicates that there are an estimated 5,000 incidents of severe-or-greater turbulence annually, out of a overall number of more than 35 million flights that currently occur worldwide.

Intense turbulence is defined as when the vertical motions of a plane going through rough air masses exert in excess of a significant G-force on your body - sufficient force to lift you out of your seat if you did not have on a restraint.

As a changing climate alters the conditions in the sky, researchers alert that flying could become more turbulent: temperature changes and changing jet streams in the upper atmosphere are projected to boost the regularity and severity of severe turbulence.