MINNEAPOLIS — Severe turbulence on a Delta Air Lines flight en route from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam on Wednesday forced the aircraft to make an emergency landing at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, airline officials said. Twenty-five 25 passengers were transported to area hospitals for evaluation.
Flight 56, an Airbus A330-900 aircraft, landed safely in the Twin Cities at about 7:45 p.m. CT. Delta officials called the turbulence “significant.
The airport’s fire department and paramedics responded at the gate when the aircraft landed, giving medical attention to passengers.
“We are grateful for the support of all emergency responders involved,” Delta 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.”
According to data from flight tracking site Flightradar24, Flight 56 climbed by more than 1,000 feet in less than 30 seconds approximately 40 minutes after its departure.
It then descended approximately 1,350 feet over the next 30 seconds.
The aircraft then altered course and traveled north toward the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport.
The aircraft had 275 customers and 13 crew members on board.
One passenger said people who were not wearing seat belts were tossed about the cabin.
“They hit the ceiling, and then they fell to the ground,” Leann Clement-Nash told ABC News. “And the carts also hit the ceiling and fell to the ground and people were injured. It happened several times, so it was really scary.”
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