Multiple Affected as In-Flight Disturbance Strikes Delta Plane Arriving in Sydney
Several people were hurt after a Delta Airlines jet originating in LA to Sydney, Australia experienced significant turbulence on Friday morning.
Flight DL41 "went through a short bout of rough air" as it touched down at Sydney Airport, a representative for the carrier stated. Several cabin crew members required medical attention.
The New South Wales Ambulance Service reported they evaluated five individuals, and took three to hospital with relatively minor issues that included back pain and head pain. The patients' ages were between their 30s up to the 70s.
This marks the newest example of commercial jets being hit by turbulence, with experts pointing out that global warming is a major factor.
On board were nearly 250 travelers and fifteen staff members on the wide-body jet, the representative said, adding that the plane landed "without further incident" at Sydney Airport at 06:48 local time on Friday morning.
The NSW Ambulance Service said they got a call just three minutes ahead of the plane arrived, and emergency vehicles were ready and waiting at the airport.
Why plane turbulence is growing more frequent - and more severe.
In the previous year, 25 people were injured when a Delta Airlines flight, travelling from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, encountered "considerable" atmospheric disturbance just two hours into the long-haul flight, and had to make an unscheduled landing.
Recently, those on board on a certain international flight experienced a harrowing five seconds period of extreme instability. A traveler lost their life and dozens were injured, as individuals not fastened in were thrown from their seats and were slammed back.
Bumpy air is not uncommon on aircraft journeys, and while cases of strong or severe turbulence seem to be rising, they are remained quite uncommon.
Estimates show that there are an estimated five thousand cases of significant in-flight disturbance each year, out of a total of in excess of 35 million journeys that are conducted globally.
Severe turbulence is described as when the sudden jolts of a jet going through unstable air exert in excess of 1.5g-force on your body - enough to lift you out of your seat if you did not have on a restraint.
As climate change alters the conditions in the sky, experts warn that flying could become less smooth: shifts in temperature and altered air currents in the higher altitudes are expected to increase the occurrence and strength of severe turbulence.