Several Injured as Turbulence Strikes Delta Flight into Sydney

A number of individuals were hurt following a Delta flight from Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia experienced turbulence Friday morning.

The flight, numbered 41 "experienced a brief period of turbulence" as it touched down at Sydney Airport, a representative for the carrier told. A number of the onboard staff were injured.

Local paramedics reported they treated five patients, and took three to a medical facility with relatively minor issues that such as back pain and headaches. The patients' ages spanned from their thirties and seventies.

It is the newest example of planes experiencing turbulence, with experts pointing out that shifting climate patterns is a key driver.

The aircraft was carrying nearly 250 travelers and a crew of 15 on the wide-body jet, the representative said, adding that the plane landed "without further incident" at the airport at 06:48 local time on the day in question.

Emergency responders reported they were alerted just a mere three minutes ahead of the plane touched down, and emergency vehicles were waiting on the tarmac.

The reasons turbulence is growing more common - and potentially more dangerous.

During the past year, twenty-five passengers and crew were injured when a Delta Airlines flight, on a route from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, hit "significant" atmospheric disturbance just two hours into the lengthy trip, and diverted for an emergency landing.

Recently, travelers and staff on a certain international flight went through a frightening five seconds period of extreme instability. An individual passed away and many were hurt, as those without seatbelts were thrown from their seats and fell back down.

In-flight turbulence is a common occurrence on aircraft journeys, and while instances of strong or severe turbulence are reportedly becoming more frequent, they are still very rare.

Data suggests that there are around five thousand cases of severe or worse turbulence each year, out of a sum of over 35 million aircraft departures that are conducted worldwide.

Intense turbulence is described as when the sudden jolts of a plane going through unstable air exert more than 1.5 times the force of gravity on your body - a strong enough force to throw you from your seat if you weren't wearing a seatbelt.

As global warming shifts the conditions in the sky, researchers alert that commercial aviation could become more turbulent: warming trends and shifting wind patterns in the higher altitudes are expected to heighten the occurrence and strength of severe turbulence.