A Number of Hurt as Turbulence Strikes A Delta Airlines Plane into Sydney, Australia

Multiple passengers and crew have been injured following a Delta Airlines aircraft from Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia experienced rough air on Friday morning.

Flight DL41 "went through a short bout of rough air" as it landed at Sydney Airport, a representative for the carrier stated. Four flight attendants required medical attention.

Local paramedics said they treated five patients, and transported three to a medical facility with non-life-threatening injuries that such as back pain and headaches. Those affected spanned from their 30s up to the 70s.

It is the newest example of aircraft being hit by severe turbulence, with researchers saying that global warming is a key driver.

There were 245 people and fifteen staff members on the aircraft, the Delta spokesperson said, stating that the plane touched down "safely" at Sydney Airport at shortly before 7 a.m. on Friday.

Paramedics reported they were alerted just only 180 seconds ahead of the plane landed, and ambulances were standing by on the runway.

Why in-flight bumpiness is becoming increasingly prevalent - and often stronger.

During the past year, two dozen individuals sustained injuries when a separate Delta aircraft, on a route from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, experienced "considerable" atmospheric disturbance just 120 minutes into the lengthy trip, and had to make an emergency landing.

Recently, those on board on a Singapore Airlines jet went through a harrowing five seconds bout of severe turbulence. One passenger lost their life and numerous people sustained injuries, as individuals not fastened in were thrown from their seats and were slammed back.

Turbulence is not uncommon on aircraft journeys, and while occurrences of strong or severe turbulence are reportedly becoming more frequent, they are statistically infrequent.

Data suggests that there are approximately five thousand cases of severe or worse turbulence annually, out of a overall number of over 35 million flights that are conducted worldwide.

Intense turbulence is defined as when the sudden jolts of a jet going through unstable air apply in excess of 1.5g-force on your body - sufficient force to lift you out of your seat if you were not fastened by a restraint.

As climate change shifts weather patterns, researchers alert that flying could become more turbulent: warming trends and shifting wind patterns in the jet stream level are likely to increase the occurrence and strength of dangerous in-flight bumps.