- Delta Airlines flight faced severe turbulence on route from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam
- The plane plunged 1,000 feet and made an emergency landing at Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport
- 275 passengers and 13 crew were onboard, with 25 hospitalised after the incident
Delta Airlines flight, with 275 passengers and 13 crew members on board, was forced to make an emergency landing after the plane, flying from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, suffered "significant" turbulence midair on Wednesday (July 30). At least 25 people on board were hospitalised, the airline said in a statement.
Flight DL56 took off from Salt Lake City airport at 16:30 local time (23:30 BST), but was diverted to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport.
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Joseph Carbone, a passenger onboard the plane, told Fox Salt Lake City that the pilot informed him the plane had plunged 1,000 feet before making the emergency landing at around 19:45 local time (01:45 BST), just over two hours into its nine-hour flight time.
As per the airline, the aircraft landed safely in Minneapolis, and medical personnel evaluated the passengers and crew members.
"Twenty-five of those on board were transported to local hospitals for evaluation and care. We are grateful for the support of all emergency responders involved," the airline informed.
Delta further stated that it is "working with customers to support their immediate needs".
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As quoted, Carbone further stated that the first sudden plunge occurred about 90 minutes into the journey, which caused the flight attendants to lose their balance while serving food and drinks. As per the passengers, a second and third wave of turbulence also followed, with "each one got worse".
Data from the flight tracking website Flightradar24 revealed that the plane dropped from over 38,000 feet to 35,775 feet in about 90 seconds.
"I just saw everything fly through the air," Carbone told the media outlet. "I've never experienced anything like that."
