Dozens of passengers aboard Delta Airlines Flight 56 were left injured after a frightening incident involving severe turbulence on Wednesday, causing the flight to be abruptly cut short. The plane, originally en route to Amsterdam from Salt Lake City, was forced to make an emergency landing at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport after only two hours into the flight.
The Airbus A330-900 had departed Salt Lake City around 4:30 p.m. local time, with more than 200 passengers and over a dozen crew members on board. The turbulence reportedly struck while the aircraft was cruising, causing injuries to dozens of people. According to reports, the plane landed in Minneapolis at approximately 7:45 p.m. The airline said the emergency medical teams were readily available to assist those who were injured when the plane safely landed.
According to Delta, 25 passengers were taken to nearby hospitals for further treatment. The airline released a statement saying, “Twenty-five of those on board were transported to local hospitals for evaluation and care. We are grateful for the support of all emergency responders involved.” The statement continued by also adding that the airline is “working with customers to support their immediate needs.” However, the extent of the passengers’ injuries has not been disclosed.
Turbulence is not uncommon during flights. However, this incident was described as “significant,” with enough force to injure a large number of passengers. The intensity of the air disturbance was such that it interrupted a long-haul flight and led to multiple hospitalisations. Passengers not wearing seatbelts during the episode may have been thrown from their seats, as severe turbulence can exert powerful g-forces on the body.
Though weather and air disturbances vary, turbulence remains one of the leading causes of in-flight injuries. Although the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board has recorded over 200 serious injuries related to turbulence in the past 15 years, incidents that require mass medical attention during a flight remain rare.