25 Injured in Severe Turbulence
By Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
MINNEAPOLIS/AMSTERDAM (Worthy News) – A Delta Air Lines flight traveling from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Amsterdam was forced to make an emergency landing in Minneapolis after encountering severe turbulence that left 25 people injured, the airline and authorities confirmed.
Delta Flight DL56, an Airbus A330-900 carrying 275 passengers and 13 crew members, experienced unexpected turbulence approximately two hours after takeoff while flying over the United States, officials said.
The aircraft diverted to Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, where it landed safely at approximately 7:45 p.m. local time on Wednesday.
“Medical personnel met the flight upon arrival to evaluate customers and crew. 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,” Delta said in a statement.
The airline later confirmed that no life-threatening injuries were reported. All seven crew members who were hospitalized have since been released, as have passengers who received follow-up medical care, authorities said.
Emergency responders, including local fire and medical teams, were standing by at the gate to assist upon landing. While the nature of the injuries was not disclosed, all appear to have occurred during the turbulence.
BUSY AIRPORT
The flight was originally bound for Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, one of Europe’s busiest international gateways.
While turbulence is a common occurrence in commercial aviation, injuries of this scale remain relatively rare. However, some aviation safety experts caution that “climate change” may increase the frequency and severity of turbulence worldwide, though not everyone agrees with that assessment.
“Each year, out of more than 35 million commercial flights globally, there are an estimated 5,000 cases of severe turbulence,” the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) reported.
In a notable case in 2023, one person died and dozens were injured on a flight to Singapore due to extreme turbulence — a tragic reminder of the risks involved.
Airlines and safety officials regularly advise passengers to keep their seatbelts fastened while seated, even when the seatbelt sign is off, to help reduce the risk of injury during unexpected turbulence.
Delta Flight DL56 was still early in its transatlantic route when the incident occurred. The airline has not yet confirmed when or how passengers will continue their journey to the Netherlands but said support teams are assisting travelers.
“Our priority is always the safety and well-being of our passengers and crew,” Delta emphasized.
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