A Number of Hurt as Turbulence Impacts A Delta Airlines Aircraft Arriving in Sydney

Several people sustained injuries following a Delta Airlines aircraft traveling from Los Angeles to Sydney encountered significant turbulence on Friday morning.

Flight DL41 "went through a short bout of rough air" as it made its approach and landed at Sydney Airport, a representative for the carrier informed. A number of the onboard staff sustained injuries.

Emergency medical services stated they treated five patients, and took a trio to a medical facility with non-life-threatening injuries that included spinal discomfort and headaches. Those affected ranged from their thirties and seventies.

It is the most recent case of commercial jets being hit by atmospheric disturbance, with experts pointing out that climate change is a key driver.

On board were 245 passengers and a crew of 15 on the Airbus A350, the official noted, clarifying that the plane landed "safely" at the airport at shortly before 7 a.m. on Friday.

Paramedics said they got a call just a mere three minutes prior to the plane landed, and emergency vehicles were waiting on the tarmac.

Why plane turbulence is growing more frequent - and potentially more dangerous.

In the previous year, twenty-five passengers and crew sustained injuries when a separate Delta aircraft, flying from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, encountered "significant" atmospheric disturbance just two hours into the transoceanic journey, and was forced to make an emergency landing.

Recently, travelers and staff on a Singapore Airlines flight endured a frightening short but intense period of extreme instability. One passenger passed away and dozens were injured, as those without seatbelts rose out of their seats and crashed back down.

Turbulence is fairly routine during flights, and while occurrences of significant turbulence appear to be increasing, they are remained quite uncommon.

Data suggests that there are around 5,000 incidents of significant in-flight disturbance each year, out of a total of over 35 million aircraft departures that now take off worldwide.

Strong atmospheric disturbance is categorized as when the up and down movements of a aircraft going through rough air masses generate more than a significant G-force on your body - enough to propel you from your seat if you weren't wearing a safety belt.

As a changing climate alters the conditions in the sky, experts warn that flying could become less smooth: temperature changes and changing jet streams in the higher altitudes are expected to boost the frequency and intensity of significant turbulence.