A Number of Injured as In-Flight Disturbance Strikes A Delta Airlines Flight Landing at Sydney, Australia

A number of individuals have been injured after a Delta Airlines aircraft originating in Los Angeles to Sydney experienced turbulence this past Friday.

The flight, numbered 41 "experienced a brief period of turbulence" as it touched down at Sydney Airport, an airline spokesperson stated. A number of the onboard staff were injured.

The New South Wales Ambulance Service stated they treated a total of five people, and took three to a medical facility with minor injuries that such as back pain and headaches. The injured spanned from their thirties and seventies.

The event represents the newest example of aircraft experiencing severe turbulence, with experts saying that shifting climate patterns is a major factor.

On board were nearly 250 travelers and a crew of 15 on the aircraft, the Delta spokesperson said, stating that the plane touched down "safely and normally" at the airport at 06:48 local time on Friday.

The NSW Ambulance Service reported they got a call just a mere three minutes ahead of the plane landed, and response teams were waiting on the tarmac.

Why in-flight bumpiness is becoming more frequent - and potentially more dangerous.

During the past year, two dozen individuals were injured when a Delta Airlines flight, on a route from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, Netherlands, encountered "significant" turbulence just two hours into the transoceanic journey, and had to make an precautionary landing.

Recently, travelers and staff on a Singapore Airlines flight went through a frightening five seconds period of extreme instability. An individual died and many were hurt, as those without seatbelts rose out of their seats and crashed back down.

Turbulence is not uncommon during flights, and while instances of significant turbulence appear to be increasing, they are statistically infrequent.

Research indicates that there are around thousands of instances of severe-or-greater turbulence each year, out of a total of over 35 million flights that now take off worldwide.

Severe turbulence is described as when the up and down movements of a plane passing through unstable air generate in excess of a significant G-force on your body - sufficient force to throw you from your seat if you did not have on a restraint.

As climate change alters weather patterns, researchers alert that air travel could become more turbulent: shifts in temperature and shifting wind patterns in the higher altitudes are likely to increase the frequency and intensity of severe turbulence.