Multiple Hurt as Rough Air Hits Delta Aircraft Landing at Sydney, Australia

Several people have been injured after a Delta aircraft traveling from LA to Sydney encountered rough air on Friday morning.

Flight DL41 "went through a short bout of rough air" as it landed at Sydney Airport, an airline spokesperson informed. Four flight attendants sustained injuries.

Local paramedics said they assessed five individuals, and transported three to the hospital with minor injuries that comprised back pain and migraines. The injured spanned from their 30s up to the 70s.

It is the newest example of planes encountering atmospheric disturbance, with experts pointing out that shifting climate patterns is a significant contributor.

The aircraft was carrying 245 passengers and 15 crew members on the wide-body jet, the representative said, adding that the plane touched down "without further incident" at Sydney Airport at shortly before 7 a.m. on Friday.

The NSW Ambulance Service indicated they got a call just a mere three minutes prior to the plane arrived, and response teams were ready and waiting at the airport.

The reasons turbulence is becoming more common - and more severe.

Last year, two dozen individuals sustained injuries when a separate Delta aircraft, travelling from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, Netherlands, hit "severe" atmospheric disturbance just a couple of hours into the lengthy trip, and had to make an unscheduled landing.

Recently, those on board on a Singapore Airlines jet endured a terrifying short but intense period of extreme instability. One passenger died and many were hurt, as those without seatbelts rose out of their seats and were slammed back.

Bumpy air is fairly routine while flying, and while instances of significant turbulence seem to be rising, they are statistically infrequent.

Research indicates that there are around five thousand cases of severe-or-greater turbulence each year, out of a overall number of more than 35 million aircraft departures that now take off worldwide.

Strong atmospheric disturbance is described as when the up and down movements of a plane experiencing disturbed air exert in excess of 1.5g-force on your body - enough to throw you from your seat if you did not have on a safety belt.

As climate change alters the conditions in the sky, experts warn that commercial aviation could become more turbulent: warming trends and shifting wind patterns in the upper atmosphere are likely to heighten the frequency and intensity of dangerous in-flight bumps.