A Number of Affected as Turbulence Impacts A Delta Airlines Plane Arriving in Sydney, Australia

Several people have been injured after a Delta aircraft from LA to Sydney, Australia encountered rough air this past Friday.

Flight DL41 "encountered brief turbulence" as it touched down at the Sydney airport, a company official stated. Four flight attendants required medical attention.

Local paramedics said they evaluated five individuals, and took three to a medical facility with minor injuries that comprised pain in the back and head pain. The patients' ages ranged from their 30s to 70s.

This marks the newest example of aircraft being hit by turbulence, with experts pointing out that climate change is a significant contributor.

There were 245 passengers and a crew of 15 on the aircraft, the representative noted, clarifying that the plane touched down "safely and normally" at the airport at shortly before 7 a.m. on Friday morning.

Emergency responders indicated they got a call just three minutes prior to the plane touched down, and ambulances were waiting on the tarmac.

The reasons turbulence is getting more common - and often stronger.

In the previous year, two dozen individuals were injured when a Delta Airlines flight, travelling from Salt Lake City, Utah to Amsterdam, experienced "considerable" atmospheric disturbance just two hours into the lengthy trip, and diverted for an unscheduled landing.

Earlier this year, passengers and crew on a Singapore Airlines flight endured a terrifying short but intense period of extreme instability. A traveler lost their life and many were hurt, as those without seatbelts were thrown from their seats and were slammed back.

Bumpy air is fairly routine during flights, and while instances of strong or severe turbulence appear to be increasing, they are still very rare.

Data suggests that there are around thousands of instances of severe or worse turbulence annually, out of a sum of over 35 million aircraft departures that now take off around the world.

Severe turbulence is defined as when the up and down movements of a aircraft going through unstable air generate more than a significant G-force on your body - enough to lift you out of your seat if you weren't wearing a restraint.

As a changing climate modifies the conditions in the sky, experts warn that flying could become less smooth: warming trends and shifting wind patterns in the higher altitudes are expected to heighten the occurrence and strength of dangerous in-flight bumps.