Several Hurt as Rough Air Hits Delta Aircraft into Sydney

Several people sustained injuries following a Delta Airlines aircraft traveling from Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia experienced rough air this past Friday.

The flight, numbered 41 "encountered brief turbulence" as it landed at the Sydney airport, a representative for the carrier stated. Four flight attendants were injured.

The New South Wales Ambulance Service stated they evaluated a total of five people, and took a trio to the hospital with minor injuries that included back pain and migraines. Those affected ranged from their thirties and seventies.

This marks the newest example of aircraft encountering atmospheric disturbance, with experts pointing out that shifting climate patterns is a major factor.

On board were nearly 250 travelers and 15 crew members on the Airbus A350, the Delta spokesperson added, clarifying that the plane touched down "safely" at the airport at 6:48 a.m. local time on the day in question.

The NSW Ambulance Service said they received a call just a mere three minutes before the plane landed, and ambulances were standing by on the runway.

The reasons turbulence is becoming increasingly prevalent - and more severe.

Last year, twenty-five passengers and crew were hurt when a separate Delta aircraft, on a route from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, Netherlands, hit "severe" turbulence just 120 minutes into the long-haul flight, and had to make an unscheduled landing.

Earlier this year, travelers and staff on a certain international flight went through a frightening brief five-second bout of severe turbulence. A traveler died and numerous people sustained injuries, as unbelted passengers were thrown from their seats and were slammed back.

In-flight turbulence is not uncommon on aircraft journeys, and while occurrences of rough conditions appear to be increasing, they are still very rare.

Estimates show that there are approximately 5,000 incidents of severe-or-greater turbulence each year, out of a overall number of more than 35 million journeys that now take off worldwide.

Intense turbulence is defined as when the sudden jolts of a aircraft going through disturbed air apply greater than a significant G-force on your body - enough to throw you from your seat if you did not have on a seatbelt.

As a changing climate alters weather patterns, researchers alert that flying could become bumpier: shifts in temperature and changing jet streams in the jet stream level are expected to heighten the regularity and severity of dangerous in-flight bumps.