Multiple Hurt as Turbulence Hits A Delta Airlines Aircraft Landing at Sydney

Multiple passengers and crew sustained injuries following a Delta aircraft traveling from LA to Sydney encountered turbulence Friday morning.

Delta Flight 41 "encountered brief turbulence" as it landed at Sydney Airport, an airline spokesperson told. Four flight attendants sustained injuries.

Local paramedics reported they assessed five individuals, and took a trio to a medical facility with minor injuries that comprised back pain and migraines. The patients' ages were between their thirties and seventies.

The event represents the latest incident of planes experiencing severe turbulence, with researchers indicating that global warming is a key driver.

There were 245 people and 15 crew members on the aircraft, the official said, adding that the plane landed "without further incident" at the airport at 06:48 local time on the day in question.

Emergency responders said they received a call just a mere three minutes prior to the plane landed, and emergency vehicles were ready and waiting at the airport.

Why plane turbulence is growing more frequent - and often stronger.

During the past year, 25 people were hurt when a separate Delta aircraft, on a route from Salt Lake City, Utah to Amsterdam, hit "severe" turbulence just 120 minutes into the transoceanic journey, and diverted for an precautionary landing.

Earlier this year, those on board on a Singapore Airlines jet experienced a terrifying five seconds bout of severe turbulence. A traveler lost their life and numerous people sustained injuries, as unbelted passengers lifted out of their seats and fell back down.

Bumpy air is not uncommon during flights, and while instances of rough conditions appear to be increasing, they are remained quite uncommon.

Data suggests that there are an estimated 5,000 incidents of severe-or-greater turbulence each year, out of a sum of over 35 million flights that now take off worldwide.

Strong atmospheric disturbance is defined as when the vertical motions of a aircraft going through disturbed air exert greater than 1.5 times the force of gravity on your body - sufficient force to throw you from your seat if you were not fastened by a seatbelt.

As global warming alters weather patterns, researchers alert that flying could become less smooth: shifts in temperature and altered air currents in the jet stream level are projected to increase the frequency and intensity of significant turbulence.