Extreme turbulence forced a Delta Air Lines flight to Amsterdam to make an emergency landing in Minneapolis. A lot of people on board were hurt.
People were worried about how safe it is to fly in bad weather after the horrific occurrence that happened on Wednesday night.
Delta Flight 56, an Airbus A330-900 with 275 passengers and 13 crew members, left Salt Lake City International Airport for Amsterdam at about 4:35 p.m. local time (5:35 p.m. CDT).
About two hours into the flight, the jet hit some pretty turbulent air, which made the cabin go berserk.
A rapid jolt sent some people who weren’t wearing seatbelts out of their seats, according to the passengers.
They fell into the aisles or hit the bins above them.
When the staff tried to help, a lot of customers yelled, and trays, computers, and bags went all over the place.
The pilots swiftly reversed course and landed safely at Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport (MSP) around 7:45 p.m. CDT.
Firefighters and paramedics were ready to help.
Emergency workers looked at everyone on board.
CBS News claimed that twenty-five people were hurt and sent to the hospital with scratches, bruises, and maybe broken bones or brain damage.
At the time, no one was seriously hurt, and Delta kept the facts of the injuries confidential out of respect for its customers.
At the airport, other people were checked out, but some didn’t care.
Delta helped those who didn’t need to go to the hospital find a place to stay and gave them help.
Delta noted that safety is their first priority and praised the staff who work in crises.
A Delta representative said, “We are grateful to the responders for their help.”
“Our Delta Care Team is taking care of our passengers’ needs.”
The airline is cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to find out what happened.
Delta is also helping by adding more flights to Amsterdam, offering them vacation discounts, and paying for items.
Experts indicated that the rough air on Thursday could have been clear-air turbulence (CAT), which is hard to see using forecasting equipment.
A lot of the time, planes fly high above, near fast-moving air currents.
People shared their stories on X.
One person stated, “I was on Flight 56,” @TravelMom123.
It was awful.
People were yelling and things were flying everywhere.
I’m shaken up, but I’m delighted we made it to shore.
Another person, @SkyHighFlyer, said, “The Delta crew kept their cool and got us down safely.”
They did a great job.
Families of passengers who were harmed are going to Minneapolis to aid.
Hennepin County Medical Center and other nearby hospitals are taking care of patients and claim they have ample supplies.
This event has gotten people talking about injuries from turbulence on planes.
The NTSB claims that turbulence is responsible for more than one-third of all US aviation accidents, which hurt more than 1,000 people each year.
Some experts suggest that climate change could make turbulence worse by affecting how air moves.
Safety experts are continually looking for better ways to detect turbulence and make standards like always wearing seatbelts.
Dr. Sarah Mitchell, an expert in aviation safety, says that this proof shows that turbulence can happen suddenly.
“Airlines and regulators need to get better at finding people and reminding them to wear seatbelts.”
In about two weeks, the NTSB will publish a report that looks at the weather, the flight path, and other things.
They will look in the plane’s black box for conversations between pilots and flight data.
Delta has grounded the Airbus A330-900 for inspection and is also giving counseling to passengers who were upset by what happened.
Right now, the most vital things to do are help the hurt and get other people where they need to go.
One visitor told reporters in the area, “I’m just glad I’m safe.”
It was scary, but we’re all fine.
