A Delta Airlines flight bound for Amsterdam made an emergency landing at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Wednesday evening after encountering severe turbulence that left multiple passengers injured.
Flight 56, an Airbus A330-900, had departed Salt Lake City at 4:30 p.m. local time and was approximately two hours into its nine-hour transatlantic journey when it was forced to divert. The aircraft landed safely in Minneapolis at around 7:45 p.m.
The flight was carrying 275 passengers and 13 crew members. Emergency medical personnel were on standby at the airport, and 25 individuals were taken to nearby hospitals for further treatment after initial evaluations at the scene.
Delta Airlines issued a statement expressing concern for those affected and said it is “working with customers to support their immediate needs.” The airline did not specify the severity of the injuries or provide details about the turbulence experienced during the flight.
According to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, since 2009, at least 207 individuals have sustained serious injuries related to turbulence—defined as injuries requiring hospitalization for over 48 hours. Globally, aviation authorities estimate roughly 5,000 incidents of severe or greater turbulence occur each year across more than 35 million flights.
Severe turbulence is typically strong enough to generate forces exceeding 1.5 g, which can lift unrestrained passengers out of their seats.
