A transatlantic Delta Air Lines flight was forced to make an emergency landing on 30 July 2025, after severe turbulence caused injuries to people on board. Nearly 10% of the manifest (25 out of 270 people) required hospitalisation.
Flight DL56 took off about 10 minutes late from Salt Lake City at 4:25 pm local time and was expected to land in Amsterdam at 10:15 am local time the next day. But about 40 minutes after departure, Flightradar24 data shows it suffered sudden changes in altitude, including a gain of 1,000 feet in less than 30 seconds and a subsequent drop of around 1,350 feet over the next 30 seconds.
Passengers who spoke to press said that the dinner service had only just begun on the flight when the turbulence struck “several times,” causing “everyone” that did not have their seatbelt fastened to “hit the ceiling” and then fall to the floor. Serving trolleys did the same, CNN reported.
Yesterday evening, Delta flight #DL56 diverted to Minneapolis after encountering turbulence. 25 people on board were transported to local hospitals. https://t.co/MXMV7CHivA pic.twitter.com/yYc69mbyyG
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) July 31, 2025
One couple who had been on board spoke to ABC News and described the plane soaring and then taking a “nosedive.” They added: “There was a moment when we thought we were going down. It was very scary.” They also speculated that one “young lady” who had been thrown towards the plane ceiling twice and then landed on people, probably suffered broken ribs.
Following the incident, the aircraft, an Airbus A330-941, turned north from its standard flight path and landed in Minnesota’s Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport at 7:25 pm local time, where it was greeted by emergency services. Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport Fire Department and paramedics offered “initial medical attention to passengers in need” before transferring those most severely affected to nearby hospitals, according to an airport spokesperson.
Delta issued a statement in which it thanked the first responders for their assistance and insisted: “Safety is our no. 1 value at Delta, and our Delta Care team is working directly with customers to support their immediate needs.”
🚨 Delta Flight DL56 (A330‑900) from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam hit intense turbulence midair, forcing an emergency landing in Minneapolis
— GlobeUpdate (@Globupdate) July 31, 2025
—275 passengers, 13 crew
—25 hospitalized
—Food carts & passengers violently thrown
One of 2025's worst turbulence cases#Alerta #earthquake pic.twitter.com/Gy9Gl6HATh
The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed it is investigating the incident but also points out that turbulence is a normal risk associated with flying. Like waves at sea, air turbulence happens as a result of variations in wind speed, direction, and temperature, driven by various factors such as weather patterns, jet streams, and geographical features like mountains, meaning some parts of the world are considered particular turbulence hotspots.
Nonetheless, under the Montreal Convention airlines are strictly legally responsible for passenger injuries and disruption caused by turbulence. After severe turbulence hit Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 in May 2024, killing one passenger and harming others, the carrier refunded everyone on board and offered US$10,000 in compensation to those with minor injuries, as well as larger payouts for passengers with more serious injuries.
