Eleven individuals were hospitalized on Tuesday following severe turbulence on a Delta Airlines flight from Milan to Atlanta, the airline confirmed.
The flight, Delta 175, landed safely in Atlanta, but it remains uncertain how many of the 151 passengers and the 14-member crew suffered injuries. “Our priority is taking care of our customers and crew who sustained injuries,” said a spokesman for Delta Airlines. The airline’s Care Team members are currently assisting those affected by the turbulence.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is set to launch an investigation into the incident, which occurred about 64 kilometers from Atlanta’s airport. An FAA spokesman confirmed their intent to probe the matter but did not link the turbulence to ongoing weather events such as Major Hurricane Idalia, expected to hit Florida on Wednesday, or Hurricane Franklin in the Atlantic.
The episode comes amid warnings from scientists that “clear-air turbulence,” which occurs unexpectedly and typically at altitudes above 15,000 feet, is becoming increasingly common due to climate change. Neither Delta nor the FAA have confirmed whether this type of turbulence was involved in the incident on Flight 175.