A Number of Hurt as Turbulence Strikes A Delta Airlines Flight Landing at Sydney, Australia

Several people have been injured when a Delta flight originating in Los Angeles to Sydney experienced turbulence this past Friday.

Flight DL41 "experienced a brief period of turbulence" as it touched down at the Sydney airport, an airline spokesperson told. Several cabin crew members sustained injuries.

The New South Wales Ambulance Service reported they evaluated a total of five people, and transported three of them to hospital with minor injuries that such as pain in the back and head pain. The injured were between their 30s up to the 70s.

The event represents the newest example of aircraft encountering atmospheric disturbance, with researchers indicating that climate change is a major factor.

On board were 245 people and 15 crew members on the aircraft, the official noted, adding that the plane landed "without further incident" at Sydney Airport at shortly before 7 a.m. on Friday.

The NSW Ambulance Service reported they received a call just a mere three minutes prior to the plane touched down, and ambulances were ready and waiting at the airport.

Why in-flight bumpiness is growing increasingly prevalent - and often stronger.

During the past year, twenty-five passengers and crew were hurt when a separate Delta aircraft, on a route from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, Netherlands, hit "significant" turbulence just 120 minutes into the lengthy trip, and was forced to make an unscheduled landing.

Recently, passengers and crew on a certain international flight endured a frightening short but intense bout of severe turbulence. An individual passed away and numerous people sustained injuries, as unbelted passengers lifted out of their seats and fell back down.

Bumpy air is a common occurrence on aircraft journeys, and while instances of strong or severe turbulence seem to be rising, they are statistically infrequent.

Data suggests that there are an estimated five thousand cases of significant in-flight disturbance every year, out of a overall number of in excess of 35 million flights that are conducted globally.

Severe turbulence is defined as when the sudden jolts of a jet going through rough air masses apply in excess of 1.5 times the force of gravity on your body - enough to propel you from your seat if you weren't wearing a safety belt.

As climate change shifts atmospheric conditions, specialists caution that flying could become bumpier: temperature changes and changing jet streams in the jet stream level are likely to increase the occurrence and strength of dangerous in-flight bumps.