Multiple Affected as Rough Air Hits Delta Flight into Sydney
Several people were hurt when 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 landed at the Sydney airport, a representative for the carrier stated. Several cabin crew members sustained injuries.
The New South Wales Ambulance Service reported they treated five patients, and transported three to a medical facility with non-life-threatening injuries that comprised spinal discomfort and headaches. The patients' ages were between their 30s up to the 70s.
The event represents the latest incident of aircraft encountering severe turbulence, with aviation specialists indicating that global warming is a key driver.
On board were 245 passengers and 15 crew members on the Airbus A350, the Delta spokesperson said, adding that the plane touched down "safely and normally" at the airport at 06:48 local time on Friday.
Paramedics said they got a call just three minutes ahead of the plane touched down, and emergency vehicles were standing by on the runway.
Why plane turbulence is becoming more common - and potentially more dangerous.
During the past year, two dozen individuals sustained injuries when a Delta Airlines flight, flying from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, hit "considerable" turbulence just a couple of hours into the long-haul flight, and diverted for an precautionary landing.
Recently, those on board on a Singapore Airlines flight experienced a terrifying five seconds period of extreme instability. A traveler passed away and numerous people sustained injuries, as individuals not fastened in were thrown from their seats and fell back down.
In-flight turbulence is fairly routine during flights, and while instances of rough conditions appear to be increasing, they are remained quite uncommon.
Estimates show that there are approximately 5,000 incidents of severe or worse turbulence annually, out of a sum of more than 35 million flights that now take off around the world.
Severe turbulence is described as when the sudden jolts of a aircraft going through rough air masses exert in excess of 1.5g-force on your body - sufficient force to throw you from your seat if you did not have on a seatbelt.
As a changing climate modifies atmospheric conditions, experts warn that flying could become less smooth: warming trends and altered air currents in the higher altitudes are expected to boost the frequency and intensity of dangerous in-flight bumps.