Several Injured as Turbulence Impacts A Delta Airlines Plane Arriving in Sydney

Several people sustained injuries after a Delta aircraft from LA to Sydney, Australia experienced significant turbulence Friday morning.

The flight, numbered 41 "experienced a brief period of turbulence" as it touched down at Sydney Airport, a representative for the carrier stated. Four flight attendants were injured.

Local paramedics stated they treated five patients, and took three to the hospital with relatively minor issues that included spinal discomfort and migraines. The injured spanned from their 30s to 70s.

The event represents the newest example of planes encountering atmospheric disturbance, with researchers pointing out that climate change is a major factor.

There were 245 passengers and 15 crew members on the aircraft, the Delta spokesperson said, adding that the plane touched down "safely" at the airport at 6:48 a.m. local time on the day in question.

The NSW Ambulance Service said they received a call just three minutes prior to the plane touched down, and ambulances were standing by on the runway.

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

During the past year, two dozen individuals were injured when another Delta jet, flying from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, encountered "severe" rough air just 120 minutes into the long-haul flight, and diverted for an unscheduled landing.

Recently, travelers and staff on a certain international flight experienced a terrifying short but intense bout of severe turbulence. An individual lost their life and dozens were injured, as unbelted passengers rose out of their seats and fell back down.

In-flight turbulence is a common occurrence while flying, and while occurrences of significant turbulence are reportedly becoming more frequent, they are still very rare.

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

Intense turbulence is categorized as when the up and down movements of a jet passing through disturbed air apply greater than a significant G-force on your body - a strong enough force to lift you out of your seat if you weren't wearing a safety belt.

As a changing climate shifts weather patterns, specialists caution that flying 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.