() — Dozens of people aboard a Delta Air Lines flight headed from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam were hospitalized after the flight encountered significant turbulence Wednesday, local affiliate KTVX reported.
Delta Flight 56, which was carrying 275 passengers and 13 crew members, diverted to Minneapolis-St. Paul and landed safely shortly before 8 p.m. local time, the airline said. The flight was operating on an Airbus A330-900.
Airport medical personnel were waiting to meet the flight when it landed, and 25 people were taken to the hospital for further evaluation.
“We are grateful for the support of all emergency responders involved,” the airline said in a statement. “Safety is our No. 1 value at Delta, and our Delta Care Team is working directly with customers to support their immediate needs.”
Serious injuries from in-flight turbulence are rare, but scientists have said they may be becoming more common as climate change alters the jet stream.
A man was killed when a Singapore Airlines flight hit severe turbulence last year, marking the first person to die from turbulence on a major airline in several decades.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
