A Number of Hurt as Turbulence Strikes A Delta Airlines Aircraft Arriving in Sydney, Australia

Multiple passengers and crew were hurt after a Delta Airlines aircraft originating in LA to Sydney experienced rough air Friday morning.

Delta Flight 41 "experienced a brief period of turbulence" as it touched down at the Sydney airport, an airline spokesperson informed. A number of the onboard staff sustained injuries.

Emergency medical services reported they assessed a total of five people, and transported three to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries that comprised spinal discomfort and head pain. The injured ranged from their 30s to 70s.

It is the most recent case of planes experiencing severe turbulence, with researchers pointing out that shifting climate patterns is a significant contributor.

The aircraft was carrying 245 people and fifteen staff members on the aircraft, the official added, clarifying that the plane touched down "safely and normally" at the airport at 6:48 a.m. local time on Friday.

Paramedics indicated they got a call just three minutes ahead of the plane touched down, and ambulances were standing by on the runway.

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

During the past year, 25 people sustained injuries when a Delta Airlines flight, travelling from Salt Lake City, Utah to Amsterdam, Netherlands, hit "severe" atmospheric disturbance just 120 minutes into the transoceanic journey, and was forced to make an emergency landing.

Earlier this year, passengers and crew on a Singapore Airlines jet went through a harrowing five seconds bout of severe turbulence. One passenger died and dozens were injured, as those without seatbelts were thrown from their seats and crashed back down.

Turbulence is a common occurrence during flights, and while instances of strong or severe turbulence appear to be increasing, they are still very rare.

Estimates show that there are approximately thousands of instances of significant in-flight disturbance each year, out of a sum of over 35 million journeys that currently occur globally.

Severe turbulence is categorized as when the up and down movements of a jet passing through disturbed air apply more than a significant G-force on your body - a strong enough force to throw you from your seat if you did not have on a safety belt.

As a changing climate alters the conditions in the sky, experts warn that commercial aviation could become more turbulent: shifts in temperature and shifting wind patterns in the jet stream level are projected to boost the frequency and intensity of dangerous in-flight bumps.