Turbulence Hits Delta Flight Heading to Sydney, Leaving Several Injured

Fri Mar 20 2026 09:34:05 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A Delta Airlines flight from Los Angeles encountered unexpected turbulence upon landing in Sydney, resulting in injuries to several crew members and requiring medical attention for some.

Delta Flight 41 from Los Angeles to Sydney experienced turbulence on its final approach, injuring four flight attendants, with three taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries. No passengers were reported hurt, and the plane landed safely. As the frequency of turbulence incidents appears to be increasing, experts link this trend to climate change.

Several people have been injured after a Delta Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Sydney was hit by turbulence on Friday morning.

Delta Flight 41 encountered brief turbulence as it landed at Sydney Airport, an airline spokesperson told the BBC. Four flight attendants were injured, and no passengers were hurt, the airline said.

The New South Wales Ambulance Service said it assessed five patients in total, and took three to hospital with minor injuries that included back pain and headaches. The patients' ages ranged from their 30s to 70s.

It is the latest incident of planes being hit by turbulence, with experts saying climate change is a major factor.

There were 245 passengers and 15 crew members on the Airbus A350, the Delta spokesperson said, adding that the plane landed safely and normally at Sydney Airport at 06:48 local time on Friday (19:48 GMT on Thursday).

The NSW Ambulance Service said it received a call just three minutes before the plane landed, and emergency vehicles were waiting on the tarmac.

Last year, 25 people were injured when a Delta Airlines flight, travelling from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, hit significant turbulence just two hours into the long-haul flight and had to make an emergency landing.

In 2024, passengers and crew on a Singapore Airlines flight experienced severe turbulence that resulted in one passenger's death and numerous injuries. This alarming trend in turbulence incidents has raised concerns over the potential impact of climate change on air travel.

Estimates show that while there are around 5,000 incidents of severe turbulence every year globally, it still remains a rare occurrence compared to the more than 35 million flights that take off annually. Experts warn that changing climate conditions might increase the frequency and intensity of these turbulent episodes.

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