Multiple Injured as Rough Air Hits A Delta Airlines Flight into Sydney

Multiple passengers and crew were hurt following a Delta aircraft from LA to Sydney encountered turbulence Friday morning.

Flight DL41 "went through a short bout of rough air" as it made its approach and landed at Sydney Airport, a company official stated. A number of the onboard staff sustained injuries.

Emergency medical services reported they assessed five individuals, and transferred a trio to a medical facility with non-life-threatening injuries that included pain in the back and headaches. The patients' ages spanned from their thirties and seventies.

It is the latest incident of commercial jets encountering atmospheric disturbance, with researchers pointing out that climate change is a major factor.

The aircraft was carrying nearly 250 travelers and a crew of 15 on the wide-body jet, the official noted, adding that the plane arrived "safely" at the airport at 6:48 a.m. local time on the day in question.

Paramedics reported they received a call just three minutes ahead of the plane arrived, and emergency vehicles were waiting on the tarmac.

Why in-flight bumpiness is growing more common - and potentially more dangerous.

In the previous year, 25 people sustained injuries when a Delta Airlines flight, travelling from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, Netherlands, encountered "considerable" rough air just two hours into the transoceanic journey, and had to make an unscheduled landing.

Earlier this year, those on board on a certain international flight endured a terrifying five seconds period of extreme instability. A traveler died and many were hurt, as those without seatbelts lifted out of their seats and were slammed back.

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

Research indicates that there are approximately 5,000 incidents of significant in-flight disturbance every year, out of a overall number of more than 35 million flights that are conducted globally.

Severe turbulence is described as when the sudden jolts of a plane going through rough air masses apply greater than a significant G-force on your body - enough to propel you from your seat if you weren't wearing a safety belt.

As a changing climate modifies atmospheric conditions, researchers alert that flying could become less smooth: shifts in temperature and altered air currents in the jet stream level are projected to heighten the frequency and intensity of significant turbulence.