A Number of Injured as Turbulence Hits A Delta Airlines Plane Arriving in Sydney

Several people sustained injuries following a Delta flight originating in LA to Sydney was hit by rough air this past Friday.

Flight DL41 "experienced a brief period of turbulence" as it landed at Sydney Airport, an airline spokesperson stated. Four flight attendants required medical attention.

Emergency medical services said they assessed five patients, and took three of them to the hospital with relatively minor issues that comprised pain in the back and headaches. Those affected spanned from their 30s to 70s.

The event represents the latest incident of aircraft experiencing turbulence, with researchers saying that global warming is a key driver.

There were 245 passengers and a crew of 15 on the wide-body jet, the representative said, clarifying that the plane touched down "safely and normally" at the airport at 6:48 a.m. local time on Friday.

Emergency responders said they received a call just a mere three minutes prior to the plane arrived, and ambulances were standing by on the runway.

The reasons turbulence is growing more frequent - and more severe.

Last year, two dozen individuals sustained injuries when another Delta jet, on a route from Salt Lake City, Utah to Amsterdam, experienced "significant" turbulence just 120 minutes into the long-haul flight, and diverted for an unscheduled landing.

Earlier this year, passengers and crew on a Singapore Airlines flight experienced a frightening five seconds bout of severe turbulence. A traveler lost their life and numerous people sustained injuries, as unbelted passengers rose out of their seats and were slammed back.

Turbulence is a common occurrence during flights, and while instances of significant turbulence seem to be rising, they are still very rare.

Estimates show that there are approximately five thousand cases of severe or worse turbulence each year, out of a overall number of over 35 million journeys that currently occur globally.

Intense turbulence is defined as when the vertical motions of a aircraft going through disturbed air apply more than 1.5g-force on your body - enough to propel you from your seat if you weren't wearing a seatbelt.

As global warming shifts atmospheric conditions, experts warn that air travel could become more turbulent: temperature changes and shifting wind patterns in the higher altitudes are likely to heighten the occurrence and strength of severe turbulence.