Multiple Affected as Rough Air Impacts A Delta Airlines Aircraft Landing at Sydney

Several people sustained injuries after a Delta flight from LA to Sydney experienced significant turbulence this past Friday.

Flight DL41 "went through a short bout of rough air" as it landed at the Sydney airport, a representative for the carrier told. Four flight attendants sustained injuries.

Emergency medical services stated they evaluated five individuals, and took three of them to a medical facility with non-life-threatening injuries that included pain in the back and migraines. Those affected ranged from their 30s up to the 70s.

This marks the most recent case of aircraft being hit by atmospheric disturbance, with researchers pointing out that shifting climate patterns is a significant contributor.

There were 245 passengers and 15 crew members on the aircraft, the Delta spokesperson said, clarifying that the plane landed "safely and normally" at the airport at 06:48 local time on Friday.

Emergency responders said they received a call just only 180 seconds before the plane landed, and emergency vehicles were standing by on the runway.

Why in-flight bumpiness is becoming more common - and more severe.

Last year, 25 people sustained injuries when another Delta jet, flying from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, hit "considerable" atmospheric disturbance just a couple of hours into the long-haul flight, and had to make an precautionary landing.

Earlier this year, travelers and staff on a Singapore Airlines jet endured a terrifying brief five-second of severe turbulence. One passenger passed away and many were hurt, as those without seatbelts rose out of their seats and were slammed back.

Bumpy air is not uncommon on aircraft journeys, and while cases of rough conditions appear to be increasing, they are still very rare.

Data suggests that there are approximately 5,000 incidents of severe-or-greater turbulence every year, out of a total of in excess of 35 million aircraft departures that currently occur worldwide.

Severe turbulence is categorized as when the sudden jolts of a jet going through unstable air apply more than 1.5 times the force of gravity on your body - sufficient force to propel you from your seat if you did not have on a safety belt.

As climate change modifies weather patterns, researchers alert that commercial aviation could become less smooth: warming trends and altered air currents in the higher altitudes are likely to increase the frequency and intensity of severe turbulence.