Multiple Affected as Turbulence Strikes A Delta Airlines Plane into Sydney

Several people sustained injuries following a Delta jet from Los Angeles to Sydney experienced rough air this past Friday.

Delta Flight 41 "experienced a brief period of turbulence" as it touched down at the Sydney airport, an airline spokesperson stated. A number of the onboard staff required medical attention.

The New South Wales Ambulance Service reported they evaluated five patients, and transported three of them to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries that included spinal discomfort and migraines. The patients' ages were between their 30s up to the 70s.

The event represents the newest example of commercial jets experiencing severe turbulence, with researchers pointing out that global warming is a key driver.

The aircraft was carrying 245 people and fifteen staff members on the aircraft, the official noted, adding that the plane landed "without further incident" at Sydney Airport at shortly before 7 a.m. on the day in question.

Paramedics said they received a call just three minutes ahead of the plane touched down, and ambulances were waiting on the tarmac.

Why plane turbulence is growing more frequent - and often stronger.

Last year, two dozen individuals were injured when a separate Delta aircraft, on a route from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, Netherlands, hit "severe" atmospheric disturbance just a couple of hours into the lengthy trip, and was forced to make an unscheduled landing.

Recently, passengers and crew on a Singapore Airlines flight went through a harrowing short but intense bout of severe turbulence. An individual lost their life and many were hurt, as unbelted passengers lifted out of their seats and were slammed back.

Turbulence is fairly routine during flights, and while occurrences of strong or severe turbulence appear to be increasing, they are still very rare.

Data suggests that there are around thousands of instances of severe or worse turbulence each year, out of a total of more than 35 million aircraft departures that now take off globally.

Severe turbulence is defined as when the vertical motions of a jet going through unstable air generate in excess of a significant G-force on your body - enough to lift you out of your seat if you weren't wearing a restraint.

As climate change modifies the conditions in the sky, specialists caution that air travel could become bumpier: shifts in temperature and shifting wind patterns in the upper atmosphere are likely to increase the frequency and intensity of severe turbulence.