Several Hurt as Turbulence Hits Delta Aircraft Landing at Sydney, Australia

Several people sustained injuries after a Delta flight originating in Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia was hit by rough air this past Friday.

Flight DL41 "went through a short bout of rough air" as it touched down at Sydney Airport, a representative for the carrier told. Several cabin crew members required medical attention.

Local paramedics stated they assessed five patients, and transferred a trio to the hospital with minor injuries that comprised spinal discomfort and headaches. Those affected ranged from their thirties and seventies.

It is the most recent case of aircraft experiencing atmospheric disturbance, with aviation specialists indicating that shifting climate patterns is a key driver.

The aircraft was carrying nearly 250 travelers and fifteen staff members on the Airbus A350, the official said, stating that the plane touched down "safely" at Sydney Airport at 6:48 a.m. local time on Friday.

Paramedics reported they received a call just a mere three minutes prior to the plane touched down, and ambulances were waiting on the tarmac.

Why plane turbulence is becoming more common - and potentially more dangerous.

Last year, 25 people were hurt when a separate Delta aircraft, on a route from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, Netherlands, hit "considerable" turbulence just a couple of hours into the lengthy trip, and diverted for an unscheduled landing.

Earlier this year, those on board on a Singapore Airlines jet experienced a terrifying five seconds of severe turbulence. One passenger died and dozens were injured, as unbelted passengers lifted out of their seats and were slammed back.

Bumpy air is not uncommon during flights, and while instances of significant turbulence appear to be increasing, they are still very rare.

Data suggests that there are an estimated 5,000 incidents of significant in-flight disturbance annually, out of a sum of over 35 million aircraft departures that are conducted globally.

Intense turbulence is defined as when the up and down movements of a plane going through rough air masses apply more than 1.5g-force on your body - enough to lift you out of your seat if you were not fastened by a seatbelt.

As a changing climate shifts atmospheric conditions, specialists caution that flying could become more turbulent: warming trends and changing jet streams in the jet stream level are likely to heighten the regularity and severity of significant turbulence.