Multiple Hurt as In-Flight Disturbance Strikes Delta Plane Arriving in Sydney, Australia
Multiple passengers and crew sustained injuries when a Delta flight traveling from LA to Sydney encountered turbulence on Friday morning.
The flight, numbered 41 "encountered brief turbulence" as it touched down at the Sydney airport, a company official told. A number of the onboard staff required medical attention.
The New South Wales Ambulance Service stated they treated five individuals, and transported a trio to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries that such as pain in the back and headaches. Those affected were between their 30s up to the 70s.
The event represents the latest incident of planes experiencing atmospheric disturbance, with researchers indicating that shifting climate patterns is a significant contributor.
The aircraft was carrying 245 passengers and fifteen staff members on the aircraft, the Delta spokesperson said, clarifying that the plane arrived "safely" at the airport at shortly before 7 a.m. on the day in question.
Paramedics said they received a call just a mere three minutes prior to the plane landed, and ambulances were standing by on the runway.
Why plane turbulence is growing more common - and often stronger.
Last year, two dozen individuals were hurt when a Delta Airlines flight, on a route from Salt Lake City, Utah to Amsterdam, hit "severe" rough air just 120 minutes into the long-haul flight, and diverted for an precautionary landing.
Recently, travelers and staff on a Singapore Airlines flight endured a terrifying five seconds bout of severe turbulence. A traveler passed away and numerous people sustained injuries, as unbelted passengers were thrown from their seats and were slammed back.
Turbulence is a common occurrence on aircraft journeys, and while instances of significant turbulence are reportedly becoming more frequent, they are still very rare.
Research indicates that there are around five thousand cases of severe-or-greater turbulence annually, out of a total of over 35 million journeys that currently occur worldwide.
Strong atmospheric disturbance is described as when the vertical motions of a jet experiencing unstable air exert in excess of 1.5 times the force of gravity on your body - enough to propel you from your seat if you did not have on a restraint.
As global warming shifts atmospheric conditions, researchers alert that commercial aviation could become less smooth: warming trends and changing jet streams in the upper atmosphere are projected to increase the occurrence and strength of severe turbulence.
