Multiple Hurt as In-Flight Disturbance Impacts Delta Plane into Sydney, Australia

Multiple passengers and crew sustained injuries after a Delta Airlines flight traveling from LA to Sydney experienced significant turbulence on Friday morning.

Flight DL41 "went through a short bout of rough air" as it landed at the Sydney airport, a representative for the carrier informed. A number of the onboard staff were injured.

Emergency medical services stated they evaluated a total of five people, and took three to the hospital with minor injuries that included spinal discomfort and head pain. The patients' ages ranged from their 30s to 70s.

The event represents the newest example of planes encountering atmospheric disturbance, with researchers indicating that shifting climate patterns is a significant contributor.

The aircraft was carrying 245 passengers and fifteen staff members on the aircraft, the official added, adding that the plane landed "without further incident" at Sydney Airport at 6:48 a.m. local time on the day in question.

Emergency responders indicated they received a call just only 180 seconds ahead of the plane touched down, and response teams were waiting on the tarmac.

Why plane turbulence is growing more frequent - and often stronger.

Last year, 25 people sustained injuries when a Delta Airlines flight, travelling from Salt Lake City, Utah to Amsterdam, Netherlands, encountered "significant" turbulence just a couple of hours into the long-haul flight, and diverted for an precautionary landing.

Recently, travelers and staff on a Singapore Airlines jet went through a terrifying five seconds bout of severe turbulence. An individual passed away and many were hurt, as unbelted passengers were thrown from their seats and crashed back down.

In-flight turbulence is fairly routine while flying, and while instances of significant turbulence appear to be increasing, they are still very rare.

Data suggests that there are around 5,000 incidents of severe or worse turbulence annually, out of a sum of more than 35 million flights that are conducted globally.

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

As a changing climate modifies weather patterns, researchers alert that flying could become more turbulent: temperature changes and changing jet streams in the higher altitudes are likely to heighten the regularity and severity of dangerous in-flight bumps.