Multiple Affected as Turbulence Strikes Delta Flight Arriving in Sydney

A number of individuals sustained injuries when a Delta flight from Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia was hit by rough air Friday morning.

Flight DL41 "experienced a brief period of turbulence" as it landed at Sydney Airport, a representative for the carrier stated. A number of the onboard staff were injured.

The New South Wales Ambulance Service stated they evaluated five patients, and transferred three to a medical facility with minor injuries that included back pain and headaches. Those affected spanned from their 30s to 70s.

The event represents the newest example of planes experiencing severe turbulence, with experts pointing out that global warming is a key driver.

There were 245 people and a crew of 15 on the Airbus A350, the official added, adding that the plane touched down "safely" at Sydney Airport at shortly before 7 a.m. on the day in question.

Emergency responders reported they were alerted just a mere three minutes before the plane landed, and ambulances were ready and waiting at the airport.

The reasons turbulence is becoming more common - and potentially more dangerous.

During the past year, 25 people sustained injuries when another Delta jet, travelling from Salt Lake City, Utah to Amsterdam, Netherlands, experienced "considerable" turbulence just 120 minutes into the long-haul flight, and was forced to make an emergency landing.

Recently, travelers and staff on a certain international flight went through a harrowing short but intense of severe turbulence. A traveler passed away and numerous people sustained injuries, as those without seatbelts were thrown from their seats and were slammed back.

Turbulence is a common occurrence while flying, and while instances of rough conditions are reportedly becoming more frequent, they are statistically infrequent.

Estimates show that there are around thousands of instances of significant in-flight disturbance annually, out of a overall number of over 35 million aircraft departures that are conducted around the world.

Intense turbulence is categorized as when the vertical motions of a aircraft experiencing rough air masses exert more than a significant G-force on your body - a strong enough force to lift you out of your seat if you were not fastened by a restraint.

As a changing climate alters weather patterns, experts warn that commercial aviation could become bumpier: temperature changes and shifting wind patterns in the upper atmosphere are projected to increase the frequency and intensity of severe turbulence.