Several Hurt as In-Flight Disturbance Impacts A Delta Airlines Plane into Sydney, Australia

Several people sustained injuries when a Delta Airlines aircraft traveling from LA to Sydney was hit by turbulence this past Friday.

Delta Flight 41 "went through a short bout of rough air" as it touched down at the Sydney airport, a company official stated. A number of the onboard staff required medical attention.

Emergency medical services reported they evaluated five individuals, and transferred three of them to a medical facility with minor injuries that comprised spinal discomfort and head pain. The injured ranged from their 30s up to the 70s.

It is the latest incident of commercial jets encountering severe turbulence, with researchers pointing out that global warming is a significant contributor.

The aircraft was carrying 245 passengers and a crew of 15 on the aircraft, the official noted, clarifying that the plane landed "safely and normally" at the airport at shortly before 7 a.m. on Friday.

Emergency responders reported they got a call just a mere three minutes prior to the plane touched down, and response teams were standing by on the runway.

Why plane turbulence is becoming increasingly prevalent - and often stronger.

In the previous year, two dozen individuals sustained injuries when another Delta jet, travelling from Salt Lake City, Utah to Amsterdam, encountered "significant" atmospheric disturbance just two hours into the long-haul flight, and diverted for an precautionary landing.

Earlier this year, those on board on a Singapore Airlines jet went through a frightening brief five-second period of extreme instability. One passenger lost their life and numerous people sustained injuries, as unbelted passengers lifted out of their seats and were slammed back.

Bumpy air is not uncommon on aircraft journeys, and while cases of significant turbulence are reportedly becoming more frequent, they are still very rare.

Research indicates that there are around thousands of instances of severe or worse turbulence every year, out of a total of over 35 million flights that are conducted around the world.

Strong atmospheric disturbance is categorized as when the vertical motions of a jet experiencing disturbed air exert in excess of a significant G-force on your body - a strong enough force to throw you from your seat if you were not fastened by a restraint.

As global warming shifts weather patterns, experts warn that air travel could become bumpier: shifts in temperature and changing jet streams in the jet stream level are expected to increase the regularity and severity of significant turbulence.