A Number of Hurt as Rough Air Impacts Delta Flight Arriving in Sydney, Australia
Several people have been injured following a Delta Airlines aircraft traveling from Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia experienced rough air Friday morning.
Flight DL41 "encountered brief turbulence" as it landed at the Sydney airport, a company official stated. Four flight attendants sustained injuries.
Emergency medical services reported they assessed five individuals, and transferred three of them to hospital with minor injuries that included back pain and migraines. The patients' ages spanned from their thirties and seventies.
This marks the latest incident of commercial jets encountering severe turbulence, with experts pointing out that shifting climate patterns is a significant contributor.
The aircraft was carrying 245 passengers and fifteen staff members on the Airbus A350, the official said, clarifying that the plane touched down "safely" at the airport at shortly before 7 a.m. on the day in question.
Paramedics said they received a call just only 180 seconds before the plane touched down, and emergency vehicles were ready and waiting at the airport.
Why plane turbulence is growing increasingly prevalent - and more severe.
Last year, 25 people were hurt when a Delta Airlines flight, travelling from Salt Lake City, Utah to Amsterdam, encountered "considerable" atmospheric disturbance just a couple of hours into the transoceanic journey, and had to make an precautionary landing.
Recently, travelers and staff on a Singapore Airlines flight experienced a frightening short but intense of severe turbulence. One passenger died and dozens were injured, as unbelted passengers rose out of their seats and were slammed back.
Bumpy air is a common occurrence on aircraft journeys, and while cases of rough conditions seem to be rising, they are statistically infrequent.
Research indicates that there are an estimated thousands of instances of significant in-flight disturbance annually, out of a overall number of more than 35 million journeys that currently occur around the world.
Strong atmospheric disturbance is defined as when the up and down movements of a jet passing through disturbed air generate more than 1.5 times the force of gravity on your body - enough to propel you from your seat if you weren't wearing a restraint.
As a changing climate modifies weather patterns, experts warn that air travel could become bumpier: temperature changes and altered air currents in the higher altitudes are expected to boost the occurrence and strength of dangerous in-flight bumps.
