Several Injured as In-Flight Disturbance Strikes A Delta Airlines Flight into Sydney

A number of individuals have been injured following a Delta jet from Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia experienced turbulence this past Friday.

The flight, numbered 41 "went through a short bout of rough air" as it touched down at the Sydney airport, a company official stated. Several cabin crew members were injured.

The New South Wales Ambulance Service stated they treated five patients, and transferred three to a medical facility with non-life-threatening injuries that included pain in the back and headaches. The injured ranged from their thirties and seventies.

It is the newest example of planes being hit by atmospheric disturbance, with researchers pointing out that global warming is a major factor.

The aircraft was carrying 245 people and a crew of 15 on the aircraft, the official said, clarifying that the plane arrived "safely" at the airport at shortly before 7 a.m. on Friday morning.

Paramedics said they were alerted just a mere three minutes before the plane landed, and ambulances were standing by on the runway.

Why in-flight bumpiness is getting increasingly prevalent - and more severe.

Last year, 25 people were injured when a separate Delta aircraft, travelling from Salt Lake City, Utah to Amsterdam, Netherlands, experienced "considerable" atmospheric disturbance just two hours into the long-haul flight, and diverted for an emergency landing.

Earlier this year, travelers and staff on a Singapore Airlines jet endured a terrifying short but intense bout of severe turbulence. An individual lost their life and many were hurt, as those without seatbelts lifted out of their seats and crashed back down.

In-flight turbulence is a common occurrence during flights, and while occurrences of strong or severe turbulence seem to be rising, they are remained quite uncommon.

Data suggests that there are approximately 5,000 incidents of severe or worse turbulence each year, out of a total of over 35 million aircraft departures that currently occur around the world.

Strong atmospheric disturbance is described as when the sudden jolts of a plane experiencing unstable air apply greater than 1.5 times the force of gravity on your body - enough to propel you from your seat if you were not fastened by a restraint.

As a changing climate shifts weather patterns, experts warn that flying could become more turbulent: temperature changes and altered air currents in the higher altitudes are likely to heighten the frequency and intensity of severe turbulence.