Delta flight turbulence Sydney sends three to hospital after Los Angeles–Sydney arrival

Delta flight turbulence Sydney on Friday, March 20, 2026, left three people needing hospital treatment after an international Delta Air Lines service from Los Angeles hit turbulence shortly before touchdown in Sydney, health authorities confirmed.

New South Wales paramedics assessed five passengers and crew and transported three individuals to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, where officials said they sustained minor injuries and were in stable condition. A spokesperson for the Sydney Local Health District said the patients requested privacy. Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 indicates the aircraft landed just after 6:40 a.m. local time (3:40 p.m. Thursday ET). A Delta spokesperson described the event as brief turbulence during descent, noting 245 passengers and 15 crew were on board; four flight attendants reported injuries, three sought further evaluation and have since been released. No passenger injuries were reported.

Michael Heisel, a lecturer at the University of Sydney School of Civil Engineering, said convective storms are the most common cause of turbulence in the Sydney area and that such weather events are increasing with a warming climate. The incident follows other recent turbulence events involving the airline, including a July flight that diverted to Minneapolis after significant turbulence and a September flight that left three attendants with minor injuries.