Delta flight en route to Amsterdam hit by severe turbulence, 25 hospitalised after emergency landing

Twenty-five people out of the 275 passengers aboard the Delta Air Lines flight DL56, en route to Amsterdam from the US's Salt Lake City, were hospitalised with injuries suffered after the flight encountered "significant" turbulence on Wednesday, the airline said. The flight operating on an Airbus A33-900 diverted to Minneapolis-St. Paul and landed safely shortly before 8 p.m. local time.

The Metropolitan Airports Commission confirmed that the Minneapolis-St. Paul Fire Department and paramedics responded to the gate to provide primary medical care, according to a report in ABC News.

According to the Mirror, a spokesperson responded, "Delta flight DL56 - flying from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam - diverted to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport Wednesday after the flight encountered significant turbulence while enroute." His statement comes after one expert claimed "I’m a pilot with 10,000 flight hours but I won’t go near this place".

The Delta Airlines spokesperson continued: “The aircraft, an Airbus A330-900, landed safely at MSP, and 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. Safety is our No. 1 value at Delta, and our Delta Care Team is working directly with customers to support their immediate needs.”

Meanwhile, the nature and extent of the injuries remain uncertain, and for the safety of the passengers, they will be heading to Amsterdam.

In a similar incident previously, Singapore Airlines Flight 321 experienced severe turbulence in May 2024, resulting in unrestrained passengers and the flight crew onboard the flight being thrown about the cabin. During the incident, a 73-year-old British male passenger who suffered a suspected heart attack was declared dead upon arrival in Bangkok.