Multiple Hurt as In-Flight Disturbance Strikes Delta Aircraft into Sydney, Australia

A number of individuals were hurt after a Delta Airlines jet originating in Los Angeles to Sydney experienced significant turbulence this past Friday.

Delta Flight 41 "went through a short bout of rough air" as it touched down at the Sydney airport, a representative for the carrier informed. Several cabin crew members required medical attention.

The New South Wales Ambulance Service reported they evaluated five patients, and transferred a trio to a medical facility with non-life-threatening injuries that included pain in the back and migraines. The patients' ages spanned from their 30s up to the 70s.

It is the latest incident of planes encountering turbulence, with aviation specialists pointing out that global warming is a key driver.

The aircraft was carrying 245 passengers and 15 crew members on the aircraft, the official noted, clarifying that the plane arrived "without further incident" at the airport at 06:48 local time on Friday.

Emergency responders said they got a call just only 180 seconds ahead of the plane arrived, and response teams were ready and waiting at the airport.

Why in-flight bumpiness is getting increasingly prevalent - and potentially more dangerous.

During the past year, 25 people were injured when another Delta jet, on a route from Salt Lake City, Utah to Amsterdam, encountered "considerable" rough air just a couple of hours into the transoceanic journey, and had to make an precautionary landing.

Earlier this year, passengers and crew on a Singapore Airlines jet went through a terrifying five seconds of severe turbulence. A traveler died and numerous people sustained injuries, as those without seatbelts rose out of their seats and crashed back down.

In-flight turbulence is not uncommon while flying, and while occurrences of significant turbulence seem to be rising, they are still very rare.

Research indicates that there are an estimated five thousand cases of severe or worse turbulence every year, out of a overall number of more than 35 million aircraft departures that now take off globally.

Strong atmospheric disturbance is described as when the up and down movements of a aircraft passing through disturbed air apply greater than a significant G-force on your body - a strong enough force to throw you from your seat if you weren't wearing a safety belt.

As a changing climate alters weather patterns, specialists caution that commercial aviation could become more turbulent: warming trends and changing jet streams in the upper atmosphere are likely to increase the frequency and intensity of severe turbulence.