Multiple Injured as Rough Air Hits Delta Flight Arriving in Sydney, Australia

Several people have been injured after a Delta aircraft originating in LA to Sydney encountered rough air this past Friday.

The flight, numbered 41 "went through a short bout of rough air" as it touched down at the Sydney airport, a representative for the carrier told. A number of the onboard staff required medical attention.

Emergency medical services stated they treated five patients, and took three to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries that such as back pain and head pain. The injured spanned from their 30s to 70s.

The event represents the newest example of aircraft being hit by turbulence, with aviation specialists indicating that shifting climate patterns is a key driver.

On board were 245 people and 15 crew members on the aircraft, the representative added, stating that the plane touched down "safely" at the airport at 6:48 a.m. local time on the day in question.

The NSW Ambulance Service reported they were alerted just three minutes prior to the plane touched down, and response teams were waiting on the tarmac.

Why plane turbulence is becoming more frequent - and potentially more dangerous.

During the past year, 25 people sustained injuries when a separate Delta aircraft, flying from Salt Lake City, Utah to Amsterdam, hit "significant" rough air just 120 minutes into the long-haul flight, and had to make an emergency landing.

Earlier this year, travelers and staff on a Singapore Airlines jet endured a terrifying brief five-second bout of severe turbulence. A traveler died and numerous people sustained injuries, as unbelted passengers lifted out of their seats and were slammed back.

Bumpy air is a common occurrence while flying, and while cases of rough conditions seem to be rising, they are statistically infrequent.

Research indicates that there are approximately five thousand cases of severe-or-greater turbulence every year, out of a total of more than 35 million journeys that now take off around the world.

Intense turbulence is defined as when the vertical motions of a jet passing through rough air masses apply greater than 1.5 times the force of gravity on your body - sufficient force to propel you from your seat if you did not have on a seatbelt.

As global warming alters atmospheric conditions, experts warn that commercial aviation could become more turbulent: temperature changes and altered air currents in the jet stream level are likely to heighten the occurrence and strength of severe turbulence.