A Delta Air Lines flight, travelling from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, was forced to make an emergency landing in Minneapolis due to severe turbulence that left 25 passengers requiring hospital treatment. According to the airline’s statement, flight DL56 safely landed at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport around 7:25 pm local time on Wednesday, where medical teams were on standby to assist upon arrival.
The turbulence reportedly caused injuries to several passengers, prompting the immediate response of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport Fire Department and paramedics, who provided initial medical care at the gate. Those in need of further assistance were subsequently transported to local hospitals for evaluation.
Delta expressed gratitude for the emergency responders’ support during the incident. Preliminary data from flight tracking service Flightradar24 indicated that the plane experienced a dramatic altitude change, climbing over 1,000 feet in less than 30 seconds approximately 40 minutes after take-off, before descending nearly 1,350 feet in the following half-minute. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft redirected toward Minneapolis, ultimately landing safely about an hour and a half after the reported turbulence.
Both Delta and the Federal Aviation Administration have been approached for additional details regarding the event.