Several Hurt as Turbulence Hits Delta Plane Landing at Sydney
Several people were hurt following a Delta Airlines aircraft originating in LA to Sydney, Australia encountered rough air this past Friday.
The flight, numbered 41 "encountered brief turbulence" as it landed at Sydney Airport, a representative for the carrier told. Several cabin crew members were injured.
Local paramedics said they treated five individuals, and transported a trio to the hospital with minor injuries that included pain in the back and headaches. The patients' ages spanned from their 30s to 70s.
The event represents the most recent case of aircraft being hit by turbulence, with aviation specialists saying that shifting climate patterns is a significant contributor.
On board were nearly 250 travelers and a crew of 15 on the Airbus A350, the official added, clarifying that the plane touched down "safely" at Sydney Airport at 06:48 local time on the day in question.
Paramedics said they got a call just only 180 seconds before the plane arrived, and emergency vehicles were ready and waiting at the airport.
The reasons turbulence is growing increasingly prevalent - and more severe.
Last year, twenty-five passengers and crew sustained injuries when another Delta jet, flying from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, Netherlands, experienced "severe" turbulence just a couple of hours into the lengthy trip, and diverted for an unscheduled landing.
Recently, travelers and staff on a Singapore Airlines jet experienced a terrifying brief five-second bout of severe turbulence. A traveler died and many were hurt, as individuals not fastened in lifted out of their seats and crashed back down.
In-flight turbulence is a common occurrence during flights, and while occurrences of strong or severe turbulence are reportedly becoming more frequent, they are remained quite uncommon.
Estimates show that there are approximately thousands of instances of significant in-flight disturbance each year, out of a overall number of more than 35 million aircraft departures that now take off globally.
Severe turbulence is described as when the vertical motions of a plane passing through rough air masses exert in excess of 1.5g-force on your body - sufficient force to propel you from your seat if you weren't wearing a seatbelt.
As climate change shifts atmospheric conditions, specialists caution that flying could become bumpier: shifts in temperature and changing jet streams in the upper atmosphere are expected to boost the occurrence and strength of significant turbulence.
