Several Injured as Turbulence Strikes A Delta Airlines Plane Landing at Sydney
A number of individuals have been injured following a Delta Airlines aircraft from LA to Sydney experienced turbulence on Friday morning.
Delta Flight 41 "experienced a brief period of turbulence" as it made its approach and landed at Sydney Airport, a representative for the carrier told. A number of the onboard staff sustained injuries.
Local paramedics stated they treated five patients, and transported a trio to hospital with minor injuries that comprised pain in the back and migraines. Those affected were between their thirties and seventies.
It is the latest incident of aircraft experiencing turbulence, with aviation specialists pointing out that global warming is a key driver.
The aircraft was carrying nearly 250 travelers and 15 crew members on the Airbus A350, the official added, stating that the plane arrived "without further incident" at the airport at 6:48 a.m. local time on Friday morning.
Emergency responders said they were alerted just only 180 seconds prior to the plane landed, and response teams were ready and waiting at the airport.
The reasons turbulence is growing more frequent - and potentially more dangerous.
Last year, two dozen individuals were hurt when another Delta jet, flying from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, Netherlands, encountered "significant" rough air just 120 minutes into the transoceanic journey, and had to make an emergency landing.
Earlier this year, passengers and crew on a Singapore Airlines jet went through a harrowing brief five-second bout of severe turbulence. An individual passed away and dozens were injured, as those without seatbelts were thrown from their seats and fell back down.
Bumpy air is fairly routine while flying, and while instances of rough conditions appear to be increasing, they are statistically infrequent.
Research indicates that there are approximately five thousand cases of severe or worse turbulence each year, out of a total of over 35 million flights that now take off globally.
Intense turbulence is described as when the sudden jolts of a aircraft passing through disturbed air apply greater than 1.5 times the force of gravity on your body - enough to lift you out of your seat if you were not fastened by a seatbelt.
As climate change shifts atmospheric conditions, experts warn that flying could become more turbulent: temperature changes and shifting wind patterns in the upper atmosphere are likely to heighten the frequency and intensity of dangerous in-flight bumps.
