A Number of Hurt as Turbulence Strikes Delta Flight Landing at Sydney, Australia

Multiple passengers and crew have been injured following a Delta Airlines flight traveling from Los Angeles to Sydney was hit by significant turbulence this past Friday.

The flight, numbered 41 "experienced a brief period of turbulence" as it made its approach and landed at Sydney Airport, an airline spokesperson stated. A number of the onboard staff required medical attention.

The New South Wales Ambulance Service stated they evaluated five individuals, and transported a trio to hospital with minor injuries that such as pain in the back and head pain. Those affected ranged from their 30s to 70s.

The event represents the latest incident of aircraft experiencing turbulence, with aviation specialists pointing out that shifting climate patterns is a key driver.

There were nearly 250 travelers and 15 crew members on the aircraft, the Delta spokesperson added, stating that the plane arrived "safely" at Sydney Airport at 6:48 a.m. local time on the day in question.

Paramedics said they got a call just three minutes before the plane landed, and ambulances were waiting on the tarmac.

Why in-flight bumpiness is growing more frequent - and more severe.

Last year, 25 people were injured when a Delta Airlines flight, flying from Salt Lake City, Utah to Amsterdam, Netherlands, hit "severe" turbulence just a couple of hours into the long-haul flight, and diverted for an emergency landing.

Earlier this year, those on board on a Singapore Airlines jet experienced a terrifying brief five-second period of extreme instability. One passenger lost their life and numerous people sustained injuries, as unbelted passengers were thrown from their seats and were slammed back.

In-flight turbulence is a common occurrence during flights, and while instances of strong or severe turbulence appear to be increasing, they are remained quite uncommon.

Research indicates that there are an estimated 5,000 incidents of significant in-flight disturbance every year, out of a overall number of more than 35 million journeys that currently occur around the world.

Strong atmospheric disturbance is described as when the up and down movements of a plane experiencing disturbed air apply greater than 1.5g-force on your body - a strong enough force to propel you from your seat if you weren't wearing a restraint.

As a changing climate modifies the conditions in the sky, experts warn that commercial aviation could become bumpier: shifts in temperature and altered air currents in the jet stream level are projected to boost the regularity and severity of severe turbulence.