Several people have been injured after a Delta Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Sydney was hit by turbulence on Friday morning.
Delta Flight 41 encountered brief turbulence as it landed at Sydney Airport, an airline spokesperson told the BBC. Four flight attendants were injured, and no passengers were hurt, the airline said.
The New South Wales Ambulance Service said it assessed five patients in total and took three to hospital with minor injuries that included back pain and headaches. The patients' ages ranged from their 30s to 70s.
It is the latest incident of planes being hit by turbulence, with experts saying climate change is a major factor.
There were 245 passengers and 15 crew members on the Airbus A350, the Delta spokesperson said, adding that the plane landed safely and normally at Sydney Airport at 06:48 local time on Friday (19:48 GMT on Thursday).
The NSW Ambulance Service stated it received a call just three minutes before the plane landed, with emergency vehicles waiting on the tarmac for the arrival of the aircraft.
Last year, 25 people were injured when a Delta Airlines flight from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam hit significant turbulence two hours into its journey, leading to an emergency landing.
Furthermore, severe turbulence incidents have been rising, as noted in a troubling case involving a Singapore Airlines flight, where one passenger died, and numerous others were injured in 2024.
Experts warn that climate change is influencing atmospheric conditions, potentially increasing turbulence severity and frequency due to shifting wind patterns and temperature changes.
