NEW YORK, July 31: Twenty-five people aboard a Delta Air Lines flight were hospitalized on Wednesday after the plane experienced severe turbulence, prompting an emergency landing in Minneapolis. The aircraft, originally en route from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, was diverted due to the mid-air incident, Delta said in a statement.

Flight DL56 safely landed at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport around 7:25 p.m. local time, where medical teams were on standby. Upon arrival, the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport Fire Department and paramedics provided immediate medical attention to those injured. Twenty-five individuals were then transported to nearby hospitals for further evaluation and care.

“We are grateful for the support of all emergency responders involved,” Delta said.

According to flight data from tracking site Flightradar24, the plane climbed over 1,000 feet in under 30 seconds approximately 40 minutes after takeoff, followed by a descent of about 1,350 feet in the next 30 seconds. The aircraft then changed course northward toward Minneapolis, landing safely about 90 minutes later.

CNN reported the incident and confirmed that the turbulence caused injuries onboard, leading to the diversion.

While serious injuries from turbulence are uncommon, experts warn such incidents may become more frequent as climate change continues to impact the jet stream. In a recent example, a passenger was killed in May 2024 when a Singapore Airlines flight encountered extreme turbulence—marking the first turbulence-related fatality on a major airline in decades.