A Number of Injured as Turbulence Hits Delta Plane Arriving in Sydney, Australia
A number of individuals sustained injuries after a Delta Airlines jet originating in LA to Sydney, Australia was hit by significant turbulence on Friday morning.
The flight, numbered 41 "went through a short bout of rough air" as it made its approach and landed at the Sydney airport, an airline spokesperson stated. A number of the onboard staff were injured.
The New South Wales Ambulance Service said they evaluated five individuals, and transported a trio to hospital with relatively minor issues that included pain in the back and migraines. The injured spanned from their 30s to 70s.
This marks the most recent case of commercial jets experiencing severe turbulence, with experts saying that shifting climate patterns is a key driver.
There were nearly 250 travelers and 15 crew members on the aircraft, the Delta spokesperson said, stating that the plane landed "safely" at Sydney Airport at shortly before 7 a.m. on Friday.
The NSW Ambulance Service said they received a call just a mere three minutes before the plane arrived, and ambulances were waiting on the tarmac.
The reasons turbulence is growing increasingly prevalent - and often stronger.
In the previous year, two dozen individuals were hurt when another Delta jet, travelling from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, encountered "severe" rough air just a couple of hours into the lengthy trip, and had to make an precautionary landing.
Earlier this year, those on board on a certain international flight went through a terrifying five seconds of severe turbulence. An individual lost their life and numerous people sustained injuries, as those without seatbelts lifted out of their seats and crashed back down.
In-flight turbulence is a common occurrence while flying, and while cases of strong or severe turbulence seem to be rising, they are remained quite uncommon.
Research indicates that there are approximately 5,000 incidents of severe-or-greater turbulence every year, out of a overall number of more than 35 million flights that now take off around the world.
Intense turbulence is defined as when the sudden jolts of a jet going through unstable air generate more than 1.5g-force on your body - enough to lift you out of your seat if you weren't wearing a seatbelt.
As climate change shifts weather patterns, experts warn that air travel could become bumpier: temperature changes and changing jet streams in the jet stream level are likely to boost the occurrence and strength of significant turbulence.
