Several Affected as In-Flight Disturbance Impacts Delta Flight into Sydney, Australia

A number of individuals were hurt when a Delta Airlines jet originating in LA to Sydney, Australia was hit by significant turbulence this past Friday.

Delta Flight 41 "experienced a brief period of turbulence" as it touched down at Sydney Airport, a representative for the carrier informed. A number of the onboard staff were injured.

Emergency medical services reported they assessed five individuals, and transported three to a medical facility with minor injuries that included spinal discomfort and head pain. The patients' ages spanned from their thirties and seventies.

The event represents the latest incident of planes encountering turbulence, with experts indicating that climate change is a major factor.

There were 245 passengers and 15 crew members on the aircraft, the representative added, stating that the plane landed "safely and normally" at Sydney Airport at 6:48 a.m. local time on Friday morning.

Paramedics said they were alerted just a mere three minutes ahead of the plane touched down, and response teams were ready and waiting at the airport.

Why in-flight bumpiness is becoming more frequent - and often stronger.

Last year, two dozen individuals sustained injuries when a separate Delta aircraft, travelling from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, experienced "considerable" rough air just 120 minutes into the transoceanic journey, and diverted for an unscheduled landing.

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

Turbulence is fairly routine while flying, and while cases of strong or severe turbulence are reportedly becoming more frequent, they are remained quite uncommon.

Data suggests that there are around 5,000 incidents of severe-or-greater turbulence annually, out of a overall number of in excess of 35 million flights that are conducted around the world.

Intense turbulence is defined as when the vertical motions of a jet going through unstable air generate greater than 1.5g-force on your body - sufficient force to propel you from your seat if you did not have on a restraint.

As a changing climate modifies weather patterns, experts warn that commercial aviation could become bumpier: shifts in temperature and changing jet streams in the upper atmosphere are expected to heighten the regularity and severity of dangerous in-flight bumps.