Multiple Affected as In-Flight Disturbance Strikes Delta Plane Arriving in Sydney, Australia
Several people were hurt after a Delta jet from Los Angeles to Sydney encountered turbulence this past Friday.
The flight, numbered 41 "experienced a brief period of turbulence" as it touched down at the Sydney airport, an airline spokesperson told. A number of the onboard staff sustained injuries.
The New South Wales Ambulance Service said they evaluated five patients, and took three to hospital with minor injuries that included spinal discomfort and head pain. Those affected ranged from their 30s up to the 70s.
It is the most recent case of planes experiencing turbulence, with aviation specialists indicating that climate change is a significant contributor.
The aircraft was carrying 245 people and 15 crew members on the aircraft, the representative added, adding that the plane landed "without further incident" at the airport at shortly before 7 a.m. on the day in question.
The NSW Ambulance Service reported they got a call just only 180 seconds before the plane touched down, and emergency vehicles were standing by on the runway.
Why in-flight bumpiness is getting increasingly prevalent - and often stronger.
Last year, 25 people sustained injuries when a Delta Airlines flight, travelling from Salt Lake City, Utah to Amsterdam, Netherlands, hit "considerable" turbulence just 120 minutes into the transoceanic journey, and diverted for an precautionary landing.
Earlier this year, passengers and crew on a Singapore Airlines flight went through a frightening five seconds bout of severe turbulence. A traveler lost their life and numerous people sustained injuries, as those without seatbelts were thrown from their seats and crashed back down.
In-flight turbulence is a common occurrence while flying, and while instances of strong or severe turbulence are reportedly becoming more frequent, they are remained quite uncommon.
Data suggests that there are approximately thousands of instances of severe-or-greater turbulence annually, out of a overall number of more than 35 million flights that now take off globally.
Intense turbulence is described as when the vertical motions of a aircraft going through unstable air generate greater than a significant G-force on your body - a strong enough force to throw you from your seat if you weren't wearing a seatbelt.
As a changing climate alters weather patterns, researchers alert that air travel could become less smooth: temperature changes and shifting wind patterns in the higher altitudes are projected to increase the frequency and intensity of dangerous in-flight bumps.
