Multiple Injured as Turbulence Strikes A Delta Airlines Aircraft into Sydney, Australia

Multiple passengers and crew have been injured following a Delta aircraft originating in Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia encountered turbulence on Friday morning.

Delta Flight 41 "experienced a brief period of turbulence" as it made its approach and landed at Sydney Airport, an airline spokesperson informed. A number of the onboard staff sustained injuries.

Local paramedics said they assessed a total of five people, and transferred three to a medical facility with relatively minor issues that comprised spinal discomfort and migraines. The injured spanned from their 30s to 70s.

The event represents the latest incident of planes being hit by severe turbulence, with researchers pointing out that shifting climate patterns is a significant contributor.

The aircraft was carrying 245 people and a crew of 15 on the aircraft, the official added, adding that the plane arrived "without further incident" at the airport at shortly before 7 a.m. on Friday morning.

Emergency responders indicated they received a call just only 180 seconds prior to the plane touched down, and ambulances were standing by on the runway.

The reasons turbulence is becoming more frequent - and often stronger.

Last year, 25 people were hurt when a Delta Airlines flight, on a route from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, Netherlands, hit "considerable" rough air just 120 minutes into the long-haul flight, and had to make an unscheduled landing.

Recently, passengers and crew on a Singapore Airlines flight went through a frightening short but intense bout of severe turbulence. An individual died and numerous people sustained injuries, as those without seatbelts rose out of their seats and crashed back down.

In-flight turbulence is fairly routine while flying, and while cases of strong or severe turbulence seem to be rising, they are remained quite uncommon.

Research indicates that there are around 5,000 incidents of significant in-flight disturbance annually, out of a total of in excess of 35 million flights that are conducted globally.

Intense turbulence is defined as when the vertical motions of a aircraft going through disturbed air exert greater than 1.5 times the force of gravity on your body - enough to propel you from your seat if you were not fastened by a restraint.

As global warming alters weather patterns, researchers alert that air travel could become bumpier: temperature changes and shifting wind patterns in the higher altitudes are projected to heighten the occurrence and strength of dangerous in-flight bumps.