Multiple Hurt as Rough Air Hits Delta Flight Landing at Sydney

Several people sustained injuries after a Delta flight from LA to Sydney encountered rough air Friday morning.

The flight, numbered 41 "encountered brief turbulence" as it made its approach and landed at Sydney Airport, a company official told. Several cabin crew members were injured.

Emergency medical services reported they treated five patients, and transported three to the hospital with minor injuries that comprised pain in the back and headaches. The patients' ages were between their 30s up to the 70s.

This marks the latest incident of commercial jets encountering severe turbulence, with aviation specialists pointing out that shifting climate patterns is a significant contributor.

On board were 245 people and 15 crew members on the aircraft, the Delta spokesperson noted, stating that the plane touched down "safely" at Sydney Airport at shortly before 7 a.m. on the day in question.

Paramedics reported they were alerted just a mere three minutes prior to the plane arrived, and ambulances were waiting on the tarmac.

Why in-flight bumpiness is getting more frequent - and potentially more dangerous.

Last year, twenty-five passengers and crew sustained injuries when a Delta Airlines flight, flying from Salt Lake City, Utah to Amsterdam, Netherlands, encountered "severe" turbulence just two hours into the long-haul flight, and was forced to make an emergency landing.

Earlier this year, passengers and crew on a Singapore Airlines jet experienced a frightening short but intense bout of severe turbulence. A traveler died and dozens were injured, as those without seatbelts rose out of their seats and crashed back down.

Turbulence is a common occurrence during flights, and while instances of strong or severe turbulence seem to be rising, they are still very rare.

Data suggests that there are an estimated five thousand cases of severe-or-greater turbulence annually, out of a total of in excess of 35 million flights that currently occur worldwide.

Strong atmospheric disturbance is categorized as when the vertical motions of a jet experiencing rough air masses apply in excess of 1.5g-force on your body - enough to throw you from your seat if you weren't wearing a restraint.

As climate change modifies the conditions in the sky, specialists caution that commercial aviation could become more turbulent: warming trends and changing jet streams in the higher altitudes are likely to boost the frequency and intensity of severe turbulence.