A Number of Affected as Turbulence Strikes A Delta Airlines Flight Arriving in Sydney

Several people were hurt after a Delta Airlines jet traveling from LA to Sydney, Australia was hit by significant turbulence on Friday morning.

Delta Flight 41 "encountered brief turbulence" as it touched down at Sydney Airport, a representative for the carrier told. Several cabin crew members were injured.

Emergency medical services stated they assessed five individuals, and transported three of them to a medical facility with minor injuries that comprised pain in the back and migraines. The injured were between their 30s to 70s.

This marks the latest incident of aircraft encountering turbulence, with experts pointing out that climate change is a significant contributor.

On board were 245 passengers and a crew of 15 on the aircraft, the representative added, adding that the plane arrived "without further incident" at the airport at 06:48 local time on Friday.

Paramedics said they got a call just only 180 seconds before the plane touched down, and ambulances were ready and waiting at the airport.

Why in-flight bumpiness is growing more common - and potentially more dangerous.

During the past year, 25 people were hurt when a Delta Airlines flight, travelling from Salt Lake City, Utah to Amsterdam, Netherlands, encountered "severe" turbulence just 120 minutes into the long-haul flight, and diverted for an emergency landing.

Recently, passengers and crew on a Singapore Airlines jet went through a terrifying five seconds period of extreme instability. One passenger died and many were hurt, as individuals not fastened in lifted out of their seats and were slammed back.

In-flight turbulence is a common occurrence on aircraft journeys, and while instances of significant turbulence seem to be rising, they are statistically infrequent.

Data suggests that there are approximately 5,000 incidents of severe or worse turbulence annually, out of a sum of in excess of 35 million aircraft departures that currently occur globally.

Strong atmospheric disturbance is described as when the up and down movements of a jet experiencing disturbed air generate in excess of a significant G-force on your body - enough to propel you from your seat if you weren't wearing a seatbelt.

As global warming alters weather patterns, specialists caution that commercial aviation could become less smooth: temperature changes and changing jet streams in the higher altitudes are projected to heighten the frequency and intensity of severe turbulence.